A  PRACTICAL  TREATISE 

ON    THE 

CULTIVATION  OF  THE  GRAPE  VINE 

^  ON  OPEN  WALLS. 

WITH    A   DESCRIPTIVE    ACCOUNT    OF   AN 
IMPROVED  METHOD       tfL/lNG  AND  MANAGING 


ROOTS  OF  GEAPE  YIMS. 

BY   CLEMENT   HOARE. 


TO    WHICH    IS    ADDED, 

AN     APPENDIX, 

CONTAINING 
REMARKS    ON    THE    CULTURE    OF    THE    GRAPE    VINE 

IN    THE    UNITED    STATES. 


NEW-YORK: 


H.  LONG  AND  BROTHER,  32  ANN  STREET. 
1847. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 

THE  Author  cannot  permit  a  new  edition  of  his  Treatise  on 
the  Vine  to  appear,  without  expressing  the  great  pleasure  that  he 
derives,  in  witnessing  the  rapid  progress  that  the  principles  of 
Vine  culture,  promulgated  in  its  pages,  have  made  since  they 
were  fiist  brought  under  the  notice  of  the  public.  Several  large 
editions  have  been  sold,  and  the  demand  is  daily  increasing. 
The  Author,  therefore,  flatters  himself  that  he  may  now,  without 
being  guilty  of  presumption,  consider  his  Treatise  as  the  standard 
work  of  reference,  in  that  branch  of  horticulture  of  which  it  treats ; 
more  particularly  so,  since  the  major  part  of  the  writers  in  horti- 
cultural periodicals  and  other  works,  which,  from  time  to  time, 
profess  to  give  directions  for  the  management  of  Vines,  are  in 
the  constant  practice  of  quoting  from  his  Treatise,  (but  in  gene- 
ral without  acknowledgment,)  the  directions  therein  contained, 
and  the  principles  on  which  they  are  founded. 
Shirley  Vineyard,  near  Southampton. 


14  C, 

; 


PRACTICAL  TREATISE 

ON  THE 

Cultivation 

OF 

THE    GRAPE    VINE 

ON  OPEN  WALLS. 


PREFACE. 

THERE  is  not,  that  I  am  aware  of,  any  work  extant  in  the 
English  language  that  exclusively  treats  of  the  Vine,  except  the 
Treatise  on  the  Culture  of  the  Vine,  written  by  Speechly  in  the 
year  1789.  That  work,  however,  though  undoubtedly  a  valuable 
one,  and  showing  on  the  part  of  the  author  a  thorough  practical 
knowledge  of  the  nature  of  the  Vine,  in  reference  to  its  culture 
under  glass,  is  yet  not  sufficiently  full  nor  explicit,  with  regard  to 
the  management  of  that  plant  when  cultivated  on  open  walls. 
Hence^the  principal  reason  of  the  appearance  of  this  volume. 

In  compiling  it,  I  have  endeavored,  in  as  plain  and  as  concise 
a  manner  as  the  nature  of  the  subject  would  admit,  to  embody 
all  the  necessary  points  of  culture,  with  the  principles  on  which 
they  are  founded ;  and  also  to  arrange  them  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  make  their  practical  application  a  matter  of  easy  attainment. 
I  have,  also,  excluded  every  thing  of  a  technical  nature,  and  have, 
in  many  instances,  not  scrupled  to  use  a  phraseology  different 
from  that  usually  employed  by  writers  on  horticulture.  In  adopt- 
ing this  course,  my  object  has  been  to  render  the  work  more 
generally  useful,  and  especially  so  to  the  more  humble  part  of  the 
rural  population,  by  enabling  them  to  avail  themselves,  without 
difficulty,  of  the  directions  contained  in  it,  and  thereby  the  more 
readily  to  induce  them  to  turn  their  attention  to  the  cultivation  of 
a  plant,  which  is  capable  of  adding  to  their  comforts,  and  in- 
creasing their  enjoyments,  in  a  much  greater  degree  than  has  been 
hitherto  supposed. 

The  details  of  many  operations  relative  to  the  culture  of  the 
Vine  that  have  been  heretofore  inserted  in  works  on  gardening, 
have  been  excluded  in  the  present  work,  for  the  simple,  and,  I 
trust,  satisfactory  reason,  that  the  operations  themselves,  when 
submitted  to  the  test  of  experience,  have  been  found,  either  of  un- 
certain issue,  or  of  very  questionable  utility. 

It  remains  only  to  observe,  that  although  the  routine  of  man- 
agement recommended  in  the  following  pages,  is  the  result  of 
many  years'  diligent  investigation,  and  of  patient  observation, 
and  rests,  therefore,  on  the  firm  basis  of  actual  experience,  I  have 
no  reason  to  expect,  nor  do  I  desire,  indeed,  that  this  treatise 
should  be  considered  as  worthy  of  the  patronage  of  the  public, 
otherwise  than  in  proportion  to  the  value  and  usefulness  of  the 
improvements  it  is  designed  to  introduce,  in  the  culture  of  that 
most  grateful  of  all  fruit  trees,  THE  GRAPE  VINE. 

CLEMENT  HOARE. 


CULTIVATION  OF  THE  GRAPE  VINE 
ON  OPEN  WALLS. 


CHAPTER  I. 


INTROD  U CTION. 

The  Grape  Vine,  VITIS  VINIFERI.    Class  and  order,  PENTANDRIA.  Mono* 
GYNIA  of  Linnaeus. 

"THE  Grape  Vine  is  a  trailing,  deciduous,  hardy 
shrub,  with  a  twisted  irregular  stem,  and  long  flexible 
branches,  decumbent,  like  those  of  the  bramble,  or  sup- 
porting themselves,  when  near  other  trees,  by  means  of 
tendrils,  like  the  pea.  The  leaves  are  large,  lobed,  en- 
tire,  or  serrated  and  downy,  or  smooth  ;  green  in  sum- 
mer,  but  when  mature,  those  of  varieties  in  which  the 
predominating  colour  is  red,  constantly  change  to  or  are 
tinged  with  some  shade  of  that  colour  ;  and  those  of 
white,  green,  or  yellow  grapes,  as  constantly  change 
to  a  yellow,  and  are  never  in  the  least  tinged  either 
with  purple,  red,  or  scarlet.  The  breadth  of  the  leaves 
varies  from  five  to  seven  or  ten  inches,  and  the  length 
of  the  foot-stalks  from  four  to  eight  inches.  The 
flowers  are  produced  on  the  shoots  of  the  same  year, 
which  shoots  generally  proceed  from  those  of  the  year 
preceding ;  they  are  in  the  form  of  a  raceme,  of  a 
greenish-white  colour,  and  fragrant  odour,  appearing  in 


14  INTRODUCTION. 

the  open  air  in  this  country  in  June ;  and  the  fruit, 
which  is  of  the  berry  kind,  attains  such  maturity  as 
the  season  and  situation  admit,  by  the  middle  or  end  of 
September.  The  berry  or  grape  is  generally  globular, 
but  often  ovate,  oval,  oblong,  or  finger-shaped  ;  the 
colours  green,  white,  red,  yellow,  amber,  and  black,  or 
a  variegation  of  two  or  more  of  these  colours.  The 
skin  is  smooth,  the  pulp  and  juice  of  a  dulcet,  poign- 
ant, elevated,  generous  flavour.  Every  berry  ought 
to  enclose  five  small  heart  or  pear-shaped  stones ; 
though,  as  some  generally  fail,  they  have  seldom  more 
than  three,  and  some  varieties  as  they  attain  a  certain 
age,  as  the  ascalon,  or  sultana  raisin,  none.  The 
weight  of  a^ berry  depends  not  only  on  its  size,  but  on 
the  thickness  of  its  skin,  and  texture  of  the  flesh,  the 
lightest  being  the  thin-skinned  and  juicy  sorts,  as  the 
sweet  water  or  muscadine." — London's  Encyclopedia  of 
Gardening. 

Of  all  the  productions  of  the  vegetable  world,  which 
the  skill  and  ingenuity  of  man  have  rendered  con- 
ducive to  his  comfort,  and  to  the  enlargement  of  the 
sphere  of  his  enjoyments,  and  the  increase  of  his 
pleasurable  gratifications,  THE  VINE  stands  forward 
as  the  most  pre-eminently  conspicuous.  Its  quickness 
of  growth, — the  great  age  to  which  it  will  live,  so  great 
indeed  as  to  be  unknown,— its  almost  total  exemption 
from  all  those  adverse  contingencies  which  blight  and 
diminish  the  produce  of  other  fruit-bearing  trees, — 
its  astonishing  vegetative  powers, — its  wonderful  fer- 
tility,— and  its  delicious  fruit,  applicable  to  so  many 
purposes,  and  agreeable  to  all  palates,  in  all  its  varied 
shapes,  combine  to  mark  it  out  as  one  of  the  greatest 
blessings  bestowed  by  Providence  to  promote  the  com- 
fort and  enjoyments  of  the  human  race. 

From  the  remotest  records  of  antiquity,  the  vine 
has  been  celebrated  in  all  ages  as  the  type  of  plenty 


INTRODUCTION.  15 

and  the  symbol  of  happiness.  The  pages  of  Scripture 
abound  with  allusions  to  the  fertility  of  the.  vine  as 
emblematical  of  prosperity  ;  and  it  is  emphatically  de- 
clared, in  describing  the  peaceful  and  flourishing  state 
of  the  kingdom  of  Israel  during  the  reign  of  Solomon, 
that  '*  Judah  and  Israel  dwelt  safely,  every  man  under 
his  vine  and  under  his  fig-tree,  from  Dan  even  to  Beer- 
sheba."  The  source  of  enjoyment  thus  mentioned  to 
record  the  happy  state  of  the  Jewish  nation,  may  be, 
with  reference  to  the  vine,  literally  possessed  by  the 
greater  portion  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  island. 

The  native  country  of  the  vine  is  generally  consi- 
dered to  be  Persia,  but  it  has  been  found  wild  in  Amer- 
ica, and  is  now  become  naturalized  in  all  the  temperate 
regions  of  the  world.  In  the  northern  hemisphere,  it 
forms  an  important  branch  of  rural  economy,  from  the 
21st  to  the  51st  parallel  of  latitude;  and  by  an  im- 
proved method  of  culture,  very  fine  grapes  may  be 
annually  grown  on  the  surface  of  walls,  in  the  open 
air,  as  far  north  as  the  54th  parallel,  and  even  beyond 
that  in  favourable  seasons. 

The  vine  is  supposed  to  have  been  introduced  into 
Britain  at  the  commencement  of  the  Christian  era ; 
and  history  amply  proves,  that  for  a  long  series  of 
ages,  vineyards  were  very  common  in  the  southern 
parts  of  that  island,  and  that  the  quantity  of  wine  pro- 
duced from  them  was  so  great  as  to  be  considered  one 
of  the  staple  products  of  the  land.  From  some  cause 
or  other,  however,  they  have  fallen  into  general  ne- 
glect, although  good  grapes  might  be  grown  on  vines 
trained  as  espaliers,  or  in  the  same  manner  as  in  the 
vineyards  abroad,  from  which  excellent  wine  could  be 
made  at  a  cost  that  would  not  exceed  that  of  mode- 
rately strong  beer.  Why  vineyards  should  have  so 
completely  disappeared,  it  is  difficult  to  say,  since  there 
are  many  thousands  of  acres  of  poor  land  that  are  of 


16  INTRODUCTION. 

little  value  in  an  agricultural  point  of  view,  but  on 
which  vines  would  flourish,  and  produce  abundant 
crops  of  grapes,  and  yield  thereby  a  most  profitable 
return. 

Vines  are  now  cultivated  in  England  only  against 
walls,  upon  the  roofs  of  buildings,  and  under  glass. 
The  expense  attending  the  growing  of  grapes  under 
glass  is  such,  however,  as  obviously  to  place  that 
method  out  of  the  reach  of  the  mass  of  the  people ; 
and  vineyard  culture,  now  that  it  has  fallen  into  disuse, 
is,  perhaps,  considered  so  much  in  the  light  of  a  com- 
mercial speculation,  that  those  who  possess  the  means 
of  practising  it  are  deterred  from  employing  them, 
from  an  apprehension  that  the  risk  and  uncertainty 
attending  it  would  prove  more  than  sufficient  to  coun- 
terbalance its  advantages.  But  the  cultivation  of  vines 
on  open  walls  being  free  from  these  and  all  other  ob- 
jections, presents  an  advantageous  method  of  producing 
grapes,  which  may  be  embraced  by  every  person  who 
has  at  his  command  a  few  square  feet  of  the  surface 
of  a  wall.  This  mode  of  culture,  indeed,  offers  to  the 
possessors  of  houses,  buildings,  and  walled  gardens, 
and  even  to  the  most  humble  cottager,  ample  means 
of  procuring  with  the  greatest  certainty  an  abundant 
supply  of  this  most  valuable  fruit.  It  is  not  too  much 
to  assert,  that  the  surface  of  the  walls  of  every  cot- 
tage of  a  medium  size,  that  is  applicable  to  the  training 
of  vines,  is  capable  of  producing,  annually,  as  many 
grapes  as  would  be  worth  half  the  amount  of  its  rental. 
Every  square  foot  of  the  surface  of  a  wall  may,  in  a 
short  space  of  time,  he  covered  with  bearing  wood, 
sufficient  to  produce  on  an  average  a  pound  weight  of 
grapes,  and  I  have  frequently  grown  double  that  quan- 
tity on  a  similar  extent  of  surface. 

From  this  it  will  be  seen  how  valuable  the  surfaces 
of  walls  are,  and  what  advantages  are  lost  by  those 


INTRODUCTION.  17 

who  suffer  any  portion  of  them  to  remain  vacant.  Nor 
must  it  be  supposed  that  a  single  vine  requires  for  its 
training  a  large  portion  of  walling.  That  it  does,  I 
am  aware,  is  a  very  common  notion,  but  it  is  a  very 
erroneous  one,  and  one  that  has  no  doubt  arisen  from 
the  universally  defective  method  of  pruning  and  ma- 
naging that  plant ;  whereby  the  wood  is  suffered,  and 
indeed  encouraged,  to  extend  itself  most  disproportion- 
ately beyond  the  capability  of  its  fruit-bearing  powers. 
I  scarcely  ever  allot  more  than  from  forty  to  fifty 
square  feet  of  surface  for  one  vine,  and  unless  the  soil 
and  situation  be  very  superior  indeed,  a  single  vine 
will  require  a  space  of  time  not  less  than  twenty  years 
at  least,  before  it  will  possess  a  sufficient  degree  of 
strength  to  enable  it  to  mature,  annually,  a  greater 
quantity  of  grapes  than  can  be  trained  on  the  last-men- 
tioned extent  of  surface.  Qn  a  wall  only  twenty-five 
inches  in  height,  and  eighteen  feet  in  length,  I  have 
for  years  trained  a  vine  that  is  a  perfect  picture  of  fer- 
tility, the  whole  surface  of  the  wall  being,  every  year, 
literally  covered  with  fine  grapes  close  down  to  the  very 
stem  of  the  plant.  It  will  thus  be  seen,  that  small 
detached  portions  and  vacant  spaces  of  the  surface  of 
walls,  which  in  innumerable  instances  are  deemed  of 
no  value,  and  are  therefore  neglected,  may  be  turned 
to  a  most  beneficial  account  in  the  production  of  the 
fruit  of  the  vine. 

And  with  reference  to  the  importance  of  the  culture 
of  the  vine,  as  affording  a  most  valuable  and  highly 
esteemed  fruit,  it  deserves  especial  remark,  that  for  the 
making  of  wine,  not  only  are  ripened  grapes  applicable 
to  that  purpose,  but  from  the  leaves,  tendrils,  and 
young  shoots  of  vines,  and  also  from  unripe  or  imma- 
ture grapes,  very  fine  wine  may  be  made,  differing  in 
no  respect  from  many  sorts  of  wines  imported  from 
abroad,  as  the  following  extract  from  Dr.  Macculloch's 


18  INTRODUCTION. 

"  Remarks  on  the  Art  of  making  Wine,"  will  suffi- 
ciently show : 

"  Chemical  examination  has  proved  that  the  young 
shoots,  the  tendrils,  and  the  leaves  of  the  vine,  possess 
properties,  and  contain  substances,  exactly  similar  to 
the  crude  fruit.  It  was  no  unnatural  conclusion  that 
they  might  equally  be  used  for  the  purposes  of  making 
wine.  Experiments  were  accordingly  instituted  in 
France  for  this  purpose,  and  they  have  been  repeated 
here  with  success.  From  vine  leaves,  water,  and 
sugar,  wines  have  been  thus  produced,  in  no  respect 
differing  from  the  produce  of  the  immature  fruit, 
and  consequently  resembling  wines  of  foreign  growth." 

Here,  then,  is  a  most  important  advantage  resulting 
from  the  culture  of  the  vine,  and  one,  indeed,  that  is 
little  inferior  to  that  which  is  derived  from  the  produc- 
tion of  the  ripened  fruit  itself.  And  in  order  that  it 
may  be  properly  estimated,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind, 
that  throughout  the  growing  season,  the  superabun- 
dant  foliage  of  a  vine,  which  consists  chiefly  of  the  ex- 
tremities of  the  shoots,  and  the  tendrils,  is  so  great,  as 
to  require  to  be  plucked  off  once  in  every  seven  days, 
if  not  oftener.  It  is  further  stated  in  the  above  men- 
tioned work,  that  from  forty  to  fifty  pounds'  weight  of 
leaves,  &c.,  will  produce  about  ten  gallons  of  wine. 

Now,  every  hundred  square  feet  of  the  surface  of  a 
wall,  when  covered  with  the  foliage  of  vines  in  vigorous 
growth,  will  yield  on  an  average,  every  week  from 
the  middle  of  May  to  the  first  of  August,  two  pounds' 
weight  of  excess  of  foliage.  Allowing,  therefore,  the 
surface  of  the  walls  of  a  common-sized  cottage  to 
contain  five  hundred  square  feet,  on  which  vines  could 
be  trained,  it  appears  that,  during  the  eleven  weeks 
above  mentioned,  they  would  yield  a  sufficient  quantity 
of  foliage  to  produce  upwards  of  twenty  gallons  of 


INTRODUCTION.  1 9 

wine,  which  could  be  made  for  the  mere  cost  of  the 
sugar ! 

Again,  there  would  be  a  considerable  quantity  of 
foliage  to  spare,  during  the  remaining  months  of  August 
and  September,  to  which  must  be  added  the  excess  in 
the  number  of  bunches  of  green  fruit,  which  require 
cutting  off  after  the  berries  are  set,  in  order  to  avoid 
overcropping  the  vines,  and  which  sometimes  amount 
to  a  great  number  ;  and  also  the  berries  that  are  cut 
out  in  the  thinning  of  the  bunches,  the  weight  of 
which  is  always  considerable  ;  and  these  being  added 
to  the  former,  would,  at  the  most  moderate  calculation, 
yield  in  the  whole,  thirty  gallons  of  wine,  thus  pro- 
duced  from  the  superabundant  foliage  and  green  fruit 
of  vines  trained  on  the  surface  of  a  cottage  !  Bearing 
in  mind,  therefore,  these  important  facts  which  cannot 
be  controverted,  it  will,  I  think,  be  readily  acknow- 
ledged, that  too  great  a  degree  of  importance  can 
scarcely  be  attached  to  the  cultivation  of  the  vine. 

The  management  of  this  plant  is  in  itself,  also,  one 
of  the  most  pleasing  and  most  interesting  branches  of 
horticultural  practice  ;  and  it  may  with  truth  be  as- 
serted,  that  of  ail  the  occupations  that  can  be  resorted 
to  for  the  purposes  of  recreation,  those  connected  with 
the  garden  are  the  most  delightful.  From  these,  in- 
deed, spring  many  of  the  most  elegant  enjoyments  of 
life,  and  the  exercise  of  them  is  at  once  a  source  of 
health,  of  contentment,  and  of  unalloyed  and  tranquil- 
lizing pleasure.  So  congenial  to  our  ideas  of  happi- 
ness is  the  recreation  afforded  by  a  garden,  that  there 
is  scarcely  any  one  to  whom  the  possession  of  it  is  not 
an  object  of  strong  desire. 

Yet,  to  a  very  numerous  class  of  persons,  the  inhab- 
itants of  towns,  this  source  of  enjoyment,  is  in  a  great 
measure  cut  off. 

The  vine,  however,  can   be   cultivated  equally  as 


20  INTRODUCTION. 

•well  in  a  town  as  in  the  country,  and,  in  very  many 
instances,  the  means  for  that  purpose  are  possessed  in 
a  much  greater  degree  than  in  the  country.  The  im- 
mense accumulation  of  buildings  in  towns,  and  their 
suburban  districts,  and  also  those  of  the  metropolis  it- 
self, present  an  astonishing  extent  of  surface  of  walling, 
well  calculated  to  ripen  the  fruit  of  the  vine.  The 
only  obstacle  to  the  growth  of  that  plant  in  towns,  is 
the  impurity  of  the  atmosphere  ;  but  though  this  im- 
pediment is  sufficiently  formidable,  certainly,  it  exists 
only  in  the  heart  of  London,  and  its  dense  and  crowd- 
ed districts,  and  in  those  of  other  large  towns. 

I  am  persuaded,  therefore,  that,  if  the  method  of  cul- 
tivating the  vine  on  correct  principles,  and  the  cer- 
tainty which,  under  proper  management,  never  fails  to 
attend  the  production  of  its  fruit,  were  more  generally 
known,  its  propagation  and  culture  would  increase  both 
in  town  and  country,  to  an  extent  that  at  present  can 
scarcely  be  conceived. 

It  is  for  the  purpose  of  diffusing  a  mode  of  cultiva- 
ting this,  valuable  plant,  which  is  more  definite  and 
simple  in  its  nature  than  any  that  has  hitherto  been 
promulgated,  and  by  which  the  quantity  of  its  fruit 
may  be  prodigiously  increased,  and  the  flavor  greatly 
improved,  that  the  following  pages  have  been  written. 
It  is  hoped  that  the  whole  management  of  the  vine  is 
therein  made  sufficiently  clear,  to  enable  every  person 
who  possesses  facilities  for  the  growing  of  grapes,  to 
employ  them  in  the  most  advantageous  manner  in  the 
production  of  this  highly  esteemed  fruit. 


GRAPE    VINES    ON    OPEN   WALLS.  21 


CHAPTER  II. 

OBSERVATIONS    ON  THE  PRESENT  METHOD  OF    CULTIVA- 
TING GRAPE  VINES  ON  OPEN  WALLS. 

THERE  is,  I  believe,  no  branch  of  practical  horticul- 
ture, which  the  possessors  of  gardens  are  so  deficient 
in  the  knowledge  of,  as  in  that  which  embraces  the 
culture  of  the  grape  vine  ;  and,  yet,  singular  as  it  may 
appear,  there  is  no  fruit  tree  of  any  description  that 
grows  in  this  country,  that  can  be  depended  upon  with 
such  certainty  for  a  full  crop,  or  that  will  yield  so  am- 
pie  a  return,  as  a  vine  judiciously  cultivated  on  an 
open  wall. 

Let  any  person,  in  the  month  of  September,  make  a 
tour  of  inspection  through  the  southern  counties  of 
England,  in  which  nearly  every  cottage  may  be  seen 
with  a  grape  vine  trained  on  its  walls.  Let  him  stop 
at  intervals  in  his  journey,  and  select  any  number  of 
vines  for  examination,  and  carefully  estimate  the 
weight  of  fruit  growing  on  each,  and  the  extent  of 
walling  occupied  in  producing  that  fruit ;  and  having 
calculated  the  average  weight  grown  on  every  square 
foot  of  walling,  let  him  then  be  told,  which  he  may  be 
with  truth,  that  at  least  Jive  times  the  quantity  of 
grapes  of  superior  flavour  might  be  annually  produced 
on  the  same  extent  of  surface.  Let  him  also  select 
any  given  district,  and  estimate  the  number  of  super- 
ficial feet  of  walling  which  the  buildings  in  that  dis- 
trict contain,  and  on  which  nothing  whatever  is  grown, 


22  PRESENT    METHOD    OF    CULTIVATING 

or  at  least  nothing  of  any  value,  and  which  might,  at 
a  trifling  cost  of  time  and  trouble,  be  annually  cover- 
ed with  fine  crops  of  grapes;  and  he  will  find  to  his 
astonishment,  that  for  every  square  foot  on  which 
vines  are  trained,  there  are  at  least  twenty  square  feet 
that  are  either  entirely  vacant,  or  occupied  in  a  useless 
manner.  If  he  then  sum  up  his  calculations,  the 
result  will  show,  that  for  every  pound  of  grapes  that  is 
now  grown,  not  less  than  a  hundred  pounds  might  be 
annually  produced  on  the  existing  sarface  of  walling 
without  the  addition  of  a  single  square  foot !  Nor  let 
it  be  supposed  that  this  estimate  is  made  hypothetically ; 
on  the  contrary,  it  is  the  result  of  actual  inspection 
and  careful  observation,  and  is  considerably  with- 
in the  mark  as  to  the  quantity  of  grapes  that  might 
be  annually  grown.  Every  moderate-sized  dwell- 
ing-house, having  a  garden  and  a  little  walling  at- 
tached to  it,  may,  with  ease,  be  made  to  produce, 
yearly,  a  quarter  of  a  ton  weight  of  grapes,  leaving  a 
sufficient  portion  of  its  surface  for  the  production  of 
other  fruit. 

It  is  difficult  to  account  for  the  indifference  which 
has  hitherto  been  manifested  towards  the  propagation 
of  the  vine,  or  to  assign  sufficient  reasons  why  a  fruit 
so  universally  esteemed  as  the  grape,  should  have  re- 
mained stationary  in  respect  to  any  improvement  in  its 
mode  of  culture. 

•  I  suspect,  however,  that  the  force  of  custom  and 
example  will  be  found  amongst  the  chief  operating 
causes.  Scarcely  any  person,  when  planting  vines 
against  his  premises,  ever  thinks  of  setting  apart  for 
any  one  to  be  trained  on,  a  less  space  of  walling  than 
a  hundred  and  fifty,  or  two  hundred  square  feet,  see- 
ing  that  the  universal  practice  is  to  suffer  a  single  vine 
to  cover  as  quickly  as  possible  the  entire  surface  of 
one  side  of  a  house  or  building,  or  a  large  portion  of 


GRAPE    VINES    ON    OPEN    WALLS.  23 

that  of  a  garden  wall.  And  this  seems  to  be  done  un- 
der the  idea,  that  the  more  wood  there  is  in  a  vine  the 
more  grapes  it  will  produce,  or  that  the  one  will  be  in 
proportion  to  the  other.  It  happens,  however,  that  the 
fact  is  precisely  the  reverse.  If  a  vine  be  suffered  to 
make  a  large  quantity  of  wood,  it  will  bear  but  little 
fruit  ;  if  it- produce  good  crops  of  fruit,  it  will  make  but 
little  wood  ;  the  one  checks  the  other-.  To  permit  a 
vine,  therefore,  to  make  a  great  quantity  of  wood, 
under  the  idea  of  getting  thereby  a  great  quantity  of 
grapes,  is  completely  grasping  at  the  substance,  and 
catching  the  shadow. 

Another  reason  why  the  method  of  cultivating  the 
vine  on  open  walls  has  remained  stationary,  may  be 
found  in  the  fact,  that  in  the  gardens  of  the  rich, 
where  professed  gardeners  are  kept,  grapes  on  vines 
of  this  description  are  but  seldom  grown  to  any  extent, 
a  sufficient  quantity  for  the  table  being  brought  to 
perfection  under  glass.  Hence,  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal sources  from  which  improved  modes  of  culture 
are,  in  general,  derived,  is  thus  closed,  and  the  routine 
of  management  of  this  most  valuable  fruit  thereby 
consigned  to  the  chances  of  empirical  practice. 

The  grand  parent  error  which  prevails  universally 
in  the  cultivation  of  the  vine  on  open  walls,  lies  in  the 
method  of  pruning  usually  adopted,  and  this  is,  un- 
doubtedly, the  consequence  of  the  nature  of  the  plant 
and  its  peculiar  characteristics  being,  in  general,  but 
little  understood.  The  immense  quantity  of  wood 
which  a  vine  annually  produces,  and  the  force  with 
which  its  sap  flows,  causing  its  most  vigorous  shoots 
to  be  formed  at  the  extremities,  render  it  necessary,  in 
order  to  keep  the  plant  in  a  good  bearing  condition, 
and  its  branches  within  a  reasonable  distance  of  its 
stem,  that  the  pruning  knife  should  be  used  to  a  far 
greater  extent  than  is  ever  practised  on  any  other  des. 


24  PKESENT    METHOD    OF   CULTIVATING 

cription  of  fruit  tree  whatever.  The  most  severe  man- 
ner, indeed,  in  which  that  instrument  is  at  any  time 
applied  to  other  trees,  is  as  nothing  when  compared 
with  that  required  by  the  vine. 

In  the  course  of  the  growing  season,  a  vine  in  a 
healthy  condition  will  make  a  quantity  of  bearing 
wood  sufficient  to  produce  ten  times  as  much  fruit  as 
it  can  bring  to  maturity.  When  this  fact  is  consider- 
ed in  connection  with  another,  namely,  that  the  wood 
which  bears  fruit  one  year,  never  bears  any  after- 
wards, and  is  therefore  of  no  further  use  in  that  res- 
pect,  it  will  easily  be  seen  to  what  a  surprising  ex- 
tent  the  pruning  knife  must  be  used,  to  get  rid  of  the 
superabundant  wood  which  the  plant  annually  pro- 
duces. But  nine  parts  out  of  ten  of  the  current!  years' 
shoots,  and  all  those  of  the  preceding  year,  if  possible, 
to  be  cut  off  and  thrown  away,  is  apparently  so  much 
beyond  all  reasonable  proportion,  and  the  rules  usually 
observed  in  pruning  other  fruit-trees,  that  few  persons 
ever  possess  the  courage  to  attempt  it.  And  herein, 
as  remarked  before,  lies  the  capital  error  in  the  com- 
mon method  of  managing  the  vine. 

A  vine,  in  the  third  or  fourth  year  of  its  growth,  will 
in  general  show  a  few  bunches  of  grapes,  and  these 
are  usually  suffered  to  remain  and  ripen,  instead  of 
being  plucked  off  as  soon  as  they  appear,  having  been 
produced  before  the  plant  has  sufficient  strength  to 
mature  them,  without  injury  to  its  constitution.  Al- 
though the  quantity  be  small,  it  inflicts  a  severe  blow 
on  the  vital  energies  of  the  vine,  from  the  exhausting 
nature  of  the  process  of  maturation.  At  the  proper 
season  the  pruning  knife  is  applied,  but  the  operator 
being  in  perfect  ignorance  as  to  whether  the  plant  has 
sufficient  strength  to  ripen  any  fruit  or  not  in  the  fol- 
lowing year,  looks  at  the  young  wood,  and  seeing  four 
or  five  good  strong  shoots,  cuts  them  back  to  as  many 


GRAPE    VINES    ON    OPEN    WALLS.  25 

buds  each,  leaving,  perhaps,  twenty  in  the  whole. 
Summer  comes,  and  the  vine  having  been  seriously 
crippled  by  the  premature  ripening  of  fruit  in  the  pre- 
ceding year,  and  having  now  twenty  shoots  to  supply 
with  nourishment  instead  of  two  or  three,  the  sap  is 
so  diminished  in  quantity,  and  distributed  also  through 
so  many  channels,  that  it  is  incapable  of  forming  an 
inch  of  really  good  bearing,  wood.  The  shoots  protrude, 
and  though  small,  produce  a  great  mass  of  foliage  ; 
the  evaporation  from  this  being  far  too  great  for  its 
loss  to  be  supplied  by  the  roots,  a  languid  circulation 
of  the  juices  of  the  plant  takes  place,  and  it  receives 
thereby  a  most  serious  check  in  its  growth.  The  re- 
sult is,  that,  at  the  end  of  the  season,  no  shoots  larger 
in  size  than  that  of  a  small  wooden  skewer  are  to  be 
seen,  except  at  the  extremities. 

The  proper  season  arriving,  the  vine  is  again  pruned, 
and  again  eight  or  ten  times  as  many  buds  are  retained 
as  the  plant  can  nourish.  The  same  disproportionate 
mass  of  foliage  follows  of  course,  and  the  same  exhaust- 
ing effects  are  produced  on  the  vital  powers  of  the 
plant.  No  bearing-shoots  are  formed  except  at  the 
extremities,  and  these  being  retained  at  the  autumnal 
pruning,  old  blank  wood  begins  rapidly  to  cover  the 
surface  of  the  wall.  The  method  of  pruning,  also,  be- 
ing in  general  what  is  called  the  spur  method,  tends 
more  than  any  other  to  the  permanent  retention  of  old 
wood.  And  thus  the  vine  commences  its  fruit-bearing 
life  under  the  most  adverse  circumstances. 

The  same  mode  of  culture  being  followed  in  yearly 
succession,  the  vine  quickly  spreads  over  its  allotted 
space  of  walling,  exceeding,  perhaps,  two  hundred,  or 
even  three  hundred  superficial  feet.  It  then  contains 
a  vast  number  of  long  and  useless  limbs,  on  which 
may  be  seen  scores  of  excrescences,  dignified  with  the 
name  of  -spurs,  producing  in  the  growing  season  a  su- 


26  PRESENT    METHOD    OF    CULTURE. 

perabundance  of  foliage,  but  with  little  fruit,  and  that  of 
an  inferior  description,  and  requiring  in  its  manage- 
ment a  ten-fold  portion  of  time  and  trouble  beyond 
what  would  be  necessary  under  a  proper  mode  of 
culture. 

To  these  characteristics  of  the  usual  method  of 
managing  a  vine,  may  be  added  two  others,  namely, 
that  of  suffering  the  stem  and  principal  branches  to  be 
covered  with  several  years'  accumulation  of  decayed 
layers  of  bark,  and  of  continually  digging  the  border 
in  which  the  roots  run,  and  cropping  it  with  vegeta- 
bles, even  close  up  to  the  very  stem. 

This  brief  description  of  the  method  of  cultivating 
vines  on  open  walls,  will  apply,  I  believe,  to  ninety- 
nine  out  of  every  hundred  throughout  the  country. 
And  it  may  be  remarked  of  it,  that  during  the  very 
first  year  of  the  plant  having  been  suffered  premature- 
ly to  ripen  fruit,  and  throughout  every  successive  year 
afterwards,  not  a  single  point  of  culture  has  been  prac- 
tised but  what  may  be  described  as  most  erroneous. 
Every  step  taken  has  been  apparently  for  the  purpose 
of  rearing  a  superstructure  of  old  barren  wood,  rather 
than  the  production  of  abundant  crops  of  fine  fla- 
voured fruit. 

Can  it  be  matter  of  surprise,  therefore,  that  under 
such  a  mode  of  culture,  grapes  grown  on  open  walls 
do  not,  in  general,  attain  to  a  higher  degree  of  per- 
fection ? 


XA- BEARING  POWERS  OF  THE  VINE. 


CHAPTER  III. 


ON    THE    CAPABILITY    AND    EXTENT    OF    THE    FRUIT- 
BEARING    POWERS    OF    THE    VINE. 

THERE  is  not  a  single  point  of  culture  in  the  whole 
routine  of  the  management  of  a  vine,  the  knowledge 
of  which  is  of  so  much  importance  as  that  which  ena- 
bles the  cultivator  to  ascertain  with  precision  the  great- 
est quantity  of  fruit  he  can  annually  extract  from  it, 
without  checking  its  growth,  or  injuring  its  vital  pow- 
ers. The  operation  of  pruning,  if  it  be  not  guided  by 
this,  is  an  operation  performed  perfectly  at  random, 
and  every  inch  of  bearing. wood  either  cut  out  or  re- 
tained, under  such  circumstances,  is  done  in  utter 
ignorance  of  the  consequences,  whether  they  will 
ultimately  prove  injurious  or  beneficial  to  the  health 
and  fertility  of  the  plant.  And  yet,  necessary  as  is 
this  knowledge,  and  without  the  guidance  of  which,  in 
pruning,  neither  good  flavoured  grapes,  nor  good  crops, 
can  with  certainty  be  annually  obtained,  all  the  rules 
hitherto  laid  down  for  the  pruning  of  vines  have  been 
promulgated,  unaccompanied  with  the  slightest  instruc- 
tion to  lead  the  pruner  to  a  knowledge  of  this  most 
valuable  point  of  culture. 

Sucb>  however,  is  the  importance  of  proportioning 
the  quantity  of  fruit  to  be  matured,  to  the  capability 
of  the  plant,  that  in  Miller's  Gardener's  Dictionary, 
it  is  stated,  in  reference  to  the  cultivation  of  the  vine 
in  foreign  countries,  *'  that  when  gentlemen  abroad  let 


28  FRUIT-BEARING    POWERS 

out  vineyards  to  vignerons,  there  is  always  a  clause  in- 
serted in  their  leases,  to  direct  how  many  shoots  shall 
be  left  upon  each  vine,  and  the  number  of  eyes  to 
which  the  branches  must  be  shortened  ;  because,  were 
not  the  vignerons  thus  tied  down,  they  would  over- 
bear the  vines,  so  that  in  a  few  years  they  would  ex- 
haust their  roots,  and  render  them  so  weak,  as  not  to 
be  recovered  again  in  several  years,  and  their  wine 
would  be  so  bad  as  to  bring  a  disreputaion  on  the 
vineyard,  to  the  great  loss  of  the  proprietor." 

Here,  then,  is  a  distinct  recognition  of  the  fact,  that 
the  flavour  of  grapes,  and  the  vital  energies  of  vines, 
are  materially  affected  by  overcropping,  and  that,  to 
restrain  the  lessees  of  vineyards  in  foreign  countries 
from  practising  so  injurious  a  course  of  culture,  the 
number  of  eyes  to  be  left  on  each  vine  is  actually  lim- 
ited, and  even  made  the  subject  of  special  contract. 
Now,  if  it  be  necessary  to  observe  such  a  rule  in 
countries  that  are  congenial  to  the  growth  of  the  vine, 
and  where,  from  its  forming  an  important  branch  of 
rural  economy,  it  may  be  reasonably  presumed  that 
the  true  nature  of  the  plant  is  well  nders  ood,  how 
much  more  so  must  it  be  in  the  latitude  of  Great  Brit- 
ain, where,  from  the  deficiency  of  solar  heat,  and  the 
variableness  of  the  climate,  a  much  greater  portion  of 
the  vital  energy  of  the  vine  is  put  in  requisition  to  ri- 
pen  the  fruit  ? 

And  yet,  who  has  ever  seen,  in  the  English  practice 
of  pruning  vines,  any  rule  observed  of  the  above-men- 
tioned nature?  In  short,  the  common  method  of 
pruning  vines  on  open  walls  is  the  most  random  opera- 
tion imaginable. 

In  very  warm  summers,  the  juices  of  a  vine  plant 
are  more  highly  elaborated  than  usual,  the  sap  being 
inspissated,  or  thickened  in  a  greater  degree  by  the 
increase  of  solar  heat,  in  consequence  of  which  it  is 


OF    THE    VINE,  29 

rendered  more  productive  of  fruit-buds  than  leaf-buds. 
Shoots  that  are  considerably  less  in  size  than  those 
which  bear  fruit  in  ordinary  summers,  will,  after  being 
ripened  in  such  a  summer,  produce  fine  grapes  in  the 
following  season  ;  it  is  next  to  impossible,  therefore,  to 
prune  a  vine  when  all  the  shoots  are  thus  well  ripened, 
so  as  not  to  bear  a  good  crop  of  fruit  in  the  ensuing 
year.  Indeed,  a  person  blindfolded  may  then  take  a 
common  sickle,  and  chop  away  at  a  vine  right  and 
left,  and  if  he  chance  to  leave  any  young  wood  at  all 
remaining,  that  wood  will  produce  fruit,  because  nearly 
every  bud  formed  in  such  a  summer  becomes  a  fruil- 
bud.  In  the  following  year,  almost  every  vine,  how- 
ever  injudiciously  managed,  will  be  seen  loaded  with 
fruit,  and  the  year  is  then  called  "a  grape  year."  In 
such  years  I  have  frequently  seen  vines  groaning  as  it 
were  beneath  their  prodigious  number  of  bunches,  and 
have,  on  such  occasions,  invariably  pointed  out  to  the 
owners  of  them,  the  certainty  of  the  plants  being 
crippled  for  many  years  to  come,  if  the  whole  quantity 
produced  were  suffered  to  remain  and  ripen  ;  but  no 
representation  of  this  sort  made  by  me  to  any  one, 
whether  gardener  or  otherwise,  ever  had,  in  any  in- 
stance, the  effect  of  causing  the  excess  in  the  quantity 
to  be  reduced,  even  by  a  single  bunch.  So  deeply 
rooted  seems  to  be  the  belief,  that  because  a  vine 
shows  a  greater  number  of  bunches  of  grapes,  it  can 
therefore  ripen  them. 

Many  years  ago,  I  was  led  to  consider  the  necessity 
of  ascertaining  the  extent  of  the  fruit-bearing  powers 
of  vines,  in  order  to  insure  their  successful  culture,  by 
founding  thereon  a  system  of  pruning,  which  should  be 
simple  in  practice,  and  certain  in  its  effects;  being 
based  on  the  principle  of  proportioning  the  quantity  of 
bearing. wood  retained  at  the  autumnal  pruning,  to  the 
capability  of  their  powers  of  maturation.  For  the 


30  FRUIT- BEARING    POWERS 

attainment  of  that  object,  therefore,  I  commenced 
a  series  of  experiments  on  a  great  number  of  vines  of 
various  ages  and  sorts,  and  training  on  every  variety  of 
aspect,  south  of,  and  including  the  eastern  and  western 
points  of  the  horizon. 

Knowing  by  previous  experience,  that  it  was  possi- 
ble to  load  a  vine  with  such  a  quantity  of  fruit  as 
would  completely  deprive  it  of  life  in  its  endeavours  to 
mature  it.  and  assuming  that  the  circumference  of  the 
stem  of  the  plant  would  form  a  true  index  to  its  vital 
powers,  unless  these  had  been  injured  by  overbearing, 
several  vines  remarkably  vigorous  in  growth,  and  which 
had  been  for  three  years  previously  closely  pruned, 
were  in  the  first  place  selected  for  trial,  for  the  purpose 
of  discovering  that  quantity.  That  point  having  been 
ascertained,  it  was  intended  then  to  select,  in  every 
succeeding  year,  a  fresh  set  of  vines,  and  to  reduce, 
annually,  the  weight  of  fruit  to  be  borne  by  each  of 
them,  until  the  actual  quantity  which  any  vine,  in  pro- 
portion  to  the  circumference  of  its  stem,  can  perfectly 
mature  without  injury  to  its  vital  powers,  was  correctly 
ascertained. 

In  accordance  wilh  this  intention,  the  vines  first 
selected  as  above  mentioned,  were  pruned  in  the  au- 
tumn of  1825,  and  as  much  bearing  wood  retained  as 
was  supposed  would  produce  sufficient  fruit,  either  to 
kill  them,  or  cripple  them  for  many  years  to  come. 
The  number  of  buds  retained  on  each  vine,  and  the  cir- 
cumference of  its  stem,  were  carefully  registered.  The 
ensuing  summer  of  18*26  afforded  a  remarkably  fine 
vintage,  and  was,  therefore,  a  highly  favourable  year 
for  the  trial. 

To  describe  the  results,  which  with  little  variation 
were  the  same  in  all,  one  vine  may  be  advantageously 
selected.  This  was  a  white  muscadine,  in  the  eighth 
year  of  its  age,  and,  tike  all  the  rest,  in  the  highest 


@P    THE    VINE,  31' 

bearing  condition  possible.  It  produced  in  the  following 
spring  an  abundant  supply  of  vigorous  bearing-shoots, 
and  showed  seventy-eight  bunches  of  fine  grapes,  the 
produce  of  twenty-nine  buds  retained  on  two  horizon- 
tal right  and  left  shoots.  As  the  season  advanced,  the 
shoots  extended  themselves  rapidly,  the  bunches  of  fruit 
increased  in  size,  and  the  vine  thrived  as  well  as  usual, 
seemingly  quite  unconscious  of  the  task  it  shortly  had 
to  perform.  Blossoming  being  over,  and  the  fruit 
set,  the  trial  of  strength  commenced.  On  the  first 
of  July  many  of  the  bunches  measured  eleven  inches- 
from  the  shoulders  to  the  extremities,  and  when  ma- 
tured, would  have  weighed  a  pound  and  a  half  each. 
They  hung  close  together,  forming,  as  far  as  they  ex- 
tended on  the  wall,  an  entire  and  compact  mass  of 
grapes,  the  weight  of  which,  if  ripened,  would  have  ex- 
ceeded sixty  pounds.  The  middle  of  that  month 
arrived,  and  the  berries  had  only  reached  the  size  of 
small  peas,  while  those  on  other  vines*  not  subjected 
to  any  such  trial,  were  full  grown,  and  had  commenced 
the  stoning  process.  On  the  first  of  August,  no 
perceptible  increase  of  size  in  the  berries  had  taken 
place,  and  the  vine  began  to  show  strong  symptoms  of 
exhaustion.  About  the  middle  of  that  month  the  foli- 
age assumed  a  withering  appearance,  and  on  the  first  of 
September  the  vegetation  of  the  plant  was  almost  at  a 
stand.  The  shoots  ceased  to  grow,  the  fruit  and  foli. 
age  were  in  a  prostrate  condition,  and  the  vital  energies- 
of  the  vine  appeared  quite  unable  to  supply  the  daily 
increasing  demand,  for  nourishment.  Throughout  that 
month  it  continued  in  a  pitiable  condition,  and  though 
a  valuable  plant,  it  was,  nevertheless,  suffered  to  take 
its  course,  as  well  as  all  the  others,  in  order  that  the 
trial  might  be  decisive.  About  the  first  ef  October,, 
the  greater  part  of  the  berries  having  grown  as  large 
as  middling-sized  peas,  those  on  the  shoulders  of  some 


32  FRUIT-BEARING  POWERS 

of  the  bunches  began  to  show  symptoms  of  ripening,  by 
becoming  a  little  transparent,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
the  berries  at  the  extremities  of  the  bunches  began  to 
shrivel.  As  the  month  advanced,  the  ripening  process 
proceeded  slowly,  but  tho  shrivelling  increased  rapidly. 
Towards  the  latter  end  of  October  the  trial  was  over, 
and  the  experiment  complete  ;  on  many  entire  bunches 
every  berry  had  shrivelled,  and  in  no  bunch  had  the 
process  of  maturation  proceeded  farther  down  than  the 
shoulders.  The  whole  crop  was  gathered  about  the  first 
of  November,  and  the  ripened  portions  being  put  togeth- 
er,weighed  nine  pounds  and  a  half.  Not  one  of  these 
ripened  berries,  however,  was  more  than  half  the  usual 
size,  and,  in  point  of  flavour,  not  to  be  compared  to 
others  of  the  same  sort,  ripened,  at  least,  six  weeks 
previously. 

The  vine  was  pruned  immediately,  and  cut  almost 
to  a  stump,  to  give  it  every  chance  of  recovering  from 
the  blow  it  had  received.  But,  in  the  following  spring, 
not  a  single  bud  unfolded  till  nearly  a  month  after  the 
usual  time,  and  at  the  close  of  the  season  the  largest 
shoot  was  only  twenty-six  inches  in  length,  and  no 
larger  than  a  packing-needle,  although,  in  the  previ- 
ous  year,  the  vine  had  emitted  very  vigorous  shoots 
twenty-five  feet  in  length.  It  has  been  pruned  very 
closely  every  year  since,  and  has  in  consequence  gra- 
dually acquired  strength ;  but  although  eight  years 
have  elapsed  since  the  experiment  was  made,  it  has 
not  yet  recovered  its  former  vigour.  The  effects  pro- 
duced on  the  other  vines,  have  ultimately  proved  equal- 
ly  injurious,  not  one  of  them  having  yet  acquired  any- 
thing like  the  same  degree  of  health  which  it  then 
possessed. 

The  result  of  these  experiments  was  decisive  as  to 
the  proportion  of  fruit  having  very  greatly  exceeded 
the  strength  of  the  vines,  some  of  which,  no  doubt, 


OF    THE    VINE.  33 

would  have  died  from  the  effects  of  their  own  fertility, 
if  they  had  not  previously  been  in  an  exceedingly  vig- 
orous state. 

In  the  following  year,  1827,  another  set  of  vines 
was  selected  for  a  similar  trial  of  strength,  and  only 
half  as  much  fruit  retained  on  each  as  on  those  of 
the  preceding  year.  This  quantity,  however,  proved 
far  too  great,  as  the  grapes  only  partially  ripened,  and 
the  vines  were  completely  crippled  for  several  years 
afterwards. 

In  the  three  following  years,  1828,  1829,  and  1830, 
fresh  vines  were  annually  selected  for  similar  exper- 
iments, and  the  weight  of  fruit  reduced  every  succes- 
sive year,  until,  in  1830,  the  object  in  view  seemed  to 
be  attained,  the  grapes  having  all  been  perfectly  ma- 
tured, and  the  vital  powers  of  the  vines  (which  has 
subsequently  been  proved,)  not  in  the  least  encroached 
upon. 

Other  vines  of  different  ages  were  also  annually  se- 
lected, during  the  above-mentioned  period,  from  1826 
to  1830,  and  as  much  fruit  assigned  to  each  of  th  m 
to  ripen  as  was  then  thought  equal  to  their  powers  of 
maturation.  The  weight  so  assigned  has  since  proved 
to  have  been  pretty  near  the  correct  proportion. 

The  results  of  all  these  experiments  were  carefully 
registered  from  year  to  year,  and  at  the  close  of  1830, 
the  whole  being  accurately  examined,  it  appeared 
clearly  that  the  capability  of  the  vines  to  mature  fruit 
was  in  direct  proportion  to  the  circumference  of  their 
respective  sterns. 

Simultaneously,  also,  with  these  experiments,  sev- 
eral young  vines  were  annually  set  apart  for  the  pur- 
pose of  discovering  the  effects  of  early  bearing  on 
their  subsequent  growth,  and  of  ascertaining  the  size 
which  the  stem  of  a  young  vine  must  attain,  before  it 
is  capable  of  maturing  any  fruit  without  injury  to  its 


34  FRUIT-BEARING    POWERS 

vital  powers.  From  this  source  much  valuable  infor- 
mation was  obtained,  and  the  fact  was  also  established, 
that  young  vines  will  always  show  fruit  before  they 
can  ripen  it,  without  injuring  their  future  growth  and 
fertility. 

From  the  whole  of  these  experiments,  therefore,  a 
scale  was  then  constructed  in  accordance  with  their 
results,  of  the  weight  of  fruit  which  any  vine  that 
has  not  been  previously  overcropped,  will  bring  to  the 
highest  perfection  which  the  climate  will  permit,  with- 
out impairing  its  vital  powers,  which  was  the  point  of 
knowledge  sought  to  be  obtained. 

Agreeably  to  this  scale,  which  is  inserted  below,  I 
pruned,  in  the  winter  of  1830,  nearly  forty  vines  of 
different  sorts,  and  of  various  ages,  leaving  in  each 
no  greater  number  of  buds  than  appeared  on  an  aver- 
age calculation  to  be  sufficient  to  produce  as  much 
fruit  as  the  vine  was  allowed  to  mature.  In  the  follow- 
ing summer,  as  soon  as  the  berries  were  set,  the  num- 
ber of  bunches  required  to  produce  the  given  weight 
of  fruit  was  selected  to  remain,  and  the  excess  imme- 
diately cut  off.  I  have  strictly  adhered  to  this  plan 
ever  since,  and  it  has  enabled  me  to  produce  liner 
grapes  than  I  have  ever  seen  or  heard  of  being  grown 
on  open  walls  in  this  country.  And  so  prolific  does 
every  vine  become,  from  the  hard  pruning  which  an 
adherence  to  this  scale  compels,  that  I  have  frequent- 
ly to  cut  off,  at  the  proper  period  in  the  summer,  as 
much  as  one-half,  and  sometimes  even  three-fourths, 
of  the  fruit  which  many  of  the  vines  show,  in  order  to 
reduce  it  to  its  proper  quantity. 

Vines  thus  pruned,  with  the  bearing-wood  annually 
adjusted  to  their  respective  powers  of  maturation,  be- 
ing kept  within  a  small  compass  on  the  surface  of  the 
wall,  are  easily  managed  throughout  the  summer. 
They  never  fail  to  produce  an  abundant  supply  of  the 


OF    THE    VINE. 


35 


finest  description  of  bearing- shoots  within  a  reasonable 
distance  of  their  sterns,  and  always  bring  their  fruit 
to  the  highest  degree  of  perfection  which  the  climate 
will  permit,  with  a  certainty  which  has  never  yet  at. 
tended  the  production  of  grapes  on  open  walls  in  this 
country. 

Scale  of  the  greatest  quantity  of  grapes  which  any  vine  can 
perfectly  mature,  in  proportion  to  the  circumference  of  its 
stem,  measured  just  above  the  ground  : 

Cir.  Ibs.  Cir.  Jbs 

3  inches  -  -  5  7     inches  -  -  45 
31  ditto  -  -  10  71  ditto  -  -  50 

4  ditto  .  .  15  8     ditto  -  -  55 
41  ditto  -  -  20  81  ditto  .  -  60 

5  ditto  -  -  25  9     ditto  -  -  65 
51  ditto  -  -  30  91  ditto  -  -  70 
6~  ditto  -  -  35  10"  ditto  -  -  75 
61  ditto  -  -  40 

It  will  be  seen,  that  if  2£  inches  be  deducted  from 
the  circumference  of  the  stem  of  any  vine,  the  capa- 
bility of  it  will  be  equal  to  the  maturation  of  ten 
pounds  of  grapes  for  every  remaining  inch  of  girth. 
The  proportionate  quantity  for  fractional  parts  of  an 
inch  may  be  easily  calculated. 

The  circumference  of  the  largest  stem  in  this  scale 
is  ten  inches,  beyond  which  size  I  have  had  no  oppor- 
tunity of  selecting  a  sufficient  number  of  vines  to 
enable  me  to  carry  the  experiments  further  in  a  satis- 
factory manner.  I  have,  however,  at  various  times, 
examined  a  great  many  vines  about  that  size,  and  have 
estimated  the  weight  of  their  respective  crops  at  the 
vintage,  and  when  the  whole  crop  borne  by  any  vine 
has  been  perfectly  matured,  and  a  good  supply  of  fine 
vigorous  shoots  for  future  bearing-wood  produced  sim- 

^So§? 
.-  n»  — ** 


36  FRUIT-BEARING  POWERS 

ultaneously  in  the  current  year,  the  result  has  uniform, 
ly  been  that  the  weight  of  fruit  has  not  exceeded  the 
proportion  mentioned  in  the  scale.  I  think  it  not  un- 
reasonable, therefore,  to  conclude,  that  the  same  pro- 
portionate quantity  will  apply  to  every  vine,  whatever 
may  be  the  girth  of  its  stem. 

No  vine  is  taken  cognizance  of,  until  its  stem  mea- 
sures three  inches  in  girth,  as,  under  that  size,  vines 
ought  never  to  be  suffered  to  ripen  nny  fruit.  This  is 
a  rule  that  should  be  strictly  adhered  to  in  the  man- 
agement of  young  vines,  for  it  may  be  safely  asserted, 
that  for  every  pound  weight  of  grapes  extracted  from  a 
vine  before  it  has  grown  to  that  size,  ten  pounds  will  be 
lost  during  the  next  five  years,  independently  of  the 
very  severe  check  which  is  given  to  its  growth  by  pre- 
mature bearing.  But  by  husbanding  its  strength,  till 
its  roots  have  multiplied  sufficiently  to  provide  a  full 
supply  of  nourishment,  without  suffering  from  exhaus- 
tion, the  plant  commences  its  fruit-bearing  life  with  a 
degree  of  vigour  which  lays  a  sure  foundation  for  its 
future  prosperity. 

It  may  be  remarked,  that,  in  general,  vines  are  suf- 
fered to  bear  a  much  greater  quantity  of  grapes  than 
the  above  scale  represents,  but  in  all  such  cases  it  will 
be  found  that  they  are  not  perfectly  ripened.  The 
grand  desideratum  in  grapes,  when  used  as  table  fruit, 
is  flavour,  and  this  is  entirely  regulated  by  the  circum- 
stances under  which  they  are  ripened.  One  of  those 
circumstances  is  the  quantity  of  grapes  suffered  to  re- 
main and  ripen,  as  compared  with  the  strength  of  the 
vine.  The  respective  quantities  mentioned  in  the  scale 
are  such  as  every  vine  of  the  given  girth  of  stem  can 
perfectly  mature,  but  if  these  be  exceeded,  the  flavour 
will  immediately  begin  to  diminish,  and  the  vine  may 
then  be  said  to  be  overcropped.  On  the  other  hand, 
although  a  less  quantity  of  grapes  may  be  matured  by 


OF    THE    VINE.  37 

a  vine  than  the  proportion  represented  in  the  scale,  the 
flavour  will  not  thereby  be  increased,  in  which  case  the 
vine  will  be  undercropped.  This,  however,  very  sel- 
dorn  happens;  but  to  go  beyond  the  true  bearing  point, 
and  to  overcrop  a  vine  whenever  the  quantity  of  fruit 
shown  will  admit  of  it,  is  of  almost  universal  occur, 
rence,  not  only  with  vines  trained  on  open  walls,  but 
with  those  under  glass  also.  It  is  impossible  to  place 
this  injurious  practice  in  too  prominent  a  point  of  view, 
for  it  is  the  prolific  parent  of  almost  every  evil  that 
can  befal  a  vine,  and  it  is  really  so  general,  that 
scarcely  one  vine  in  ten  thousand  escapes  it. 

Although,  therefore,  the  proportionate  quantities 
mentioned  in  the  scale  are  much  less  than  vines  are 
frequently  permitted  to  bear,  they  may  be  regarded 
as  a  close  approximation  to  the  greatest  weight  of 
fruit  which  can  be  borne,  so  as  to  be  brought  to  the 
highest  degree  of  maturation  which  the  climate  will 
permit.  There  may  be  a  little  increase  in  the  powers 
of  maturation  of  vines,  when  trained  on  very  warm 
aspects,  but  I  have  never  found  it  prevail  to  any  ex- 
tent, nor  to  be  sufficiently  uniform  in  its  occurrence,  to 
justify  any  variation  in  the  proportions  laid  down  in 
the  scale.  Some  sorts  of  vines,  also,  are  constitution- 
ally disposed  to  shew  more  fruit  than  other  sorts,  but 
the  capability  to  mature  the  fruit  is  pretty  nearly  equal 
in  all.  It  may  be  further  remarked,  that  if  a  vine  du- 
ring any  season  be  undercropped,  the  deficiency  may 
be  partly  made  good  the  following  year,  by  causing  it 
to  bear  a  considerable  portion  of  fruit  more  than  its  al- 
lotted quantity,  as  stated  in  the  scale.  This  results 
from  the  sap  not  having  been  all  expended  in  ripening 
the  fruit ;  it  has  in  consequence  accumulated,  and  the 
plant  is  thereby  enabled  to  mature  a  greater  weight  of 
fruit  in  the  ensuing  season,  that  it  otherwise  could  do, 
from  the  -«ap  generated  in  the  current  year. 


«3S  FRUIT.BEARING   POWERS  OF   THE    VINE. 

The  manner  in  which  it  is  intended  that  this  scale 
should  be  practically  applied,  is  to  measure  the  stem  of 
a  vine  at  the  autumnal  pruning,  and  to  retain  no  more 
good  well-ripened  fruit-buds  than  is  supposed  necessa- 
ry to  produce  the  given  weight  of  fruit  that  corres- 
ponds to  its  girt.  And  if  there  should  be  any  excess 
above  that  quantity  in  the  ensuing  summer,  the  crop 
must  be  reduced  to  the  given  weight,  by  cutting  off  a 
sufficient  number  of  bunches,  as  soon  as  the  blossom- 
ing is  over  and  the  fruit  set,  as  the  weight  of  it  when 
ripened  may  then  be  easily  estimated. 

With  respect  to  the  number  of  buds  that  are  neces- 
sary to  be  left  at  the  autumnal  pruning  to  produce  any 
given  weight  of  fruit,  I  have  found  it  to  be  a  good 
general  rule,  and  applicable  to  all  those  sorts  of  grapes 
usually  cultivated  on  open  walls,  to  consider  every 
bud  (rejecting  the  two  bottom  ones  on  each  shoot)  as 
equal  to  the  production  of  half  a  pound  weight  of 
fruit ; — that  is,  if  the  stem  of  a  vine  measure  five 
inches  in  girt,  its  capability  is  equal  to  the  maturation 
of  twenty-five  pounds'  weight  of  grapes,  and,  therefore, 
the  number  of  buds  to  remain  after  pruning  will  be 
fifty.  This  proportion  would,  in  general,  be  too  great, 
even  in  the  shyest-bearing  sorts  ;  but  as  accidents  fre- 
quently happen  to  the  bunches  during  their  early 
growth,  and  as  there  will,  in  general,  be  some  buds 
that  will  not  burst,  provision  must  be  made  against 
these  casualties,  by  reserving  a  greater  number  of 
buds  than  would  otherwise  be  required.  The  propor- 
tionate number,  therefore,  above-mentioned,  I  have 
found  to  answer  well,  and  to  be  sufficient  to  meet  all 
contingencies. 

It  is  necessary  to  observe,  that  all  the  experiments 
on  which  the  scale  is  founded  were  made  on  vines 
growing  in  50°  46'  north  latitude. 


ON    ASPECT. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

ON  ASPECT. 

A  GOOD  aspect,  which  is  of  prime  importance  in  per- 
feeling  the  fruit  of  the  vine,  may  be  termed,  when 
considered  in  reference  to  the  surface  of  walls,  an 
amelioration  of  climate ;  and  soil  and  climate  are  the 
two  grand  causes  of  all  the  differences  which  appear  in 
the  productions  of  the  earth. 

The  warmer  the  aspect,  the  greater  perfection  does 
the  grape  attain  in  cur  climate,  provided  all  other  cir- 
cumstances are  alike ;  and  if  the  greatest  quantity 
of  the  sun's  rays  shining'on  the  surface  of  a  wall  were 
alone  to  be  considered  as  constituting  the  best  aspect, 
there  would,  of  course,  be  no  difficulty  in  naming  a 
due  southern  one  as  better  than  any  other.  But  warmth 
alone  is  not  sufficient ;  shelter  is  equally  necessary. 
There  is  a  strong  counteracting  agent,  which,  as  its 
effects  fall  more  or  less  on  any  surface  of  walling  on 
which  vines  are  trained,  proportionately  injures  them 
and  retards  their  growth,  and  the  maturations  of  their 
fruit.  That  agent  is  the  wind. 

There  is  no  period  in  the  growth  of  a  vine,  from  the 
moment  of  its  being  planted  as  a  cutting  or  otherwise 
to  the  extremity  of  its  existence,  in  which  any  move- 
ment  of  the  air,  that  may  properly  be  called  wind,  will 
not  have  a  greater  or  less  pernicious  effect  on  its  well- 
being.  The  perspiration  of  a  vine  is  so  great,  princi- 
pally through  the  medium  of  its  fine  large  leaves,  with 
their  broad  surfaces  disposed  in  such  a  manner  as  to 


40  ON    ASPECT. 

enjoy  the  full  effects  of  the  solar  and  atmospherical  in- 
fluence, that  an  extraordinary  supply  of  sap  is  required, 
to  rise  every  instant  of  time  throughout  the  growing 
season,  to  enable  it  to  recruit  its  loss.  On  the  foliage 
of  a  plant  performing  some  of  its  most  important  func- 
tions in  such  a  manner,  if  a  strong  wind  should  blow 
at  any  time  for  the  space  only  of  a  few  hours,  the  flow 
of  sap  is  seriously  checked,  evaporation  proceeds  at  a 
most  exhausting  rate,  and  the  leaves  and  young  shoots 
being  speedily  emptied  of  the  moisture  accumulated  in 
their  cells  and  vessels,  become  rigid,  and  their  pores 
completely  closed.  The  vegetative  powers  of  the 
plant  being  thus  prostrated,  cannot  resume  their  func- 
tions till  after  the  wind  has  ceased  for  several  hours, 
or  even  days,  according  to  its  previous  violence  and 
duration. 

I  have  made  repeated  observations  on  the  growth  of 
the  leading  shoots  of  vines  in  the  height  of  the  growing 
season,  and  have  many  times  noted  the  fact,  that  dur- 
ing the  space  of  twenty  four  hours,  when  the  wind  has 
blown  briskly,  the  shoots  exposed  to  its  influence  have 
not  perceptibly  grown  at  all ;  while,  shortly  afterwards, 
the  wind  having  entirely  sunk  away,  the  same  shoots 
have  grown  upwards  of  three  inches  in  a  similar  space 
of  time,  the  temperature  of  the  air  in  a  sheltered  situ- 
ation being  alike  during  each  period. 

And  if  two  young  vines  be  planted  by  the  side  of 
each  other,  against  a  wall  exposed  to  the  north,  for  the 
purpose  of  trying  the  experiment,  by  excluding  the 
influence  of  the  sun's  rays,  and  one  be  kept  nailed  to 
the  wall,  every  five  or  six  inches  of  its  growth  through- 
out the  summer,  and  the  other  be  suffered  to  be  blown 
about  without  any  such  protection,  the  former  will 
be  found,  at  the  end  of  the  season,  to  have  grown  in 
the  size  and  extent  of  its  shoots  three  or  four  times 
as  much  as  the  latter.  Nothing,  indeed,  can  be  more 


ON    ASPECT.  41 

tender,  or  less  calculated  to  withstand  the  effects  of 
the  wind,  than  the  extremities  of  the  young  shoots  of 
a  vine,  which,  from  being  extremely  porous,  are  al- 
most as  susceptible  of  its  withering  influence  as  the 
Sensitive  Plant  is  of  the  touch  of  the  hand. 

Many  instances  might  be  circumstantially  detailed 
of  the  injurious  effects  of  the  wind  upon  established 
vines  during  the  ir  summer's  growth ;  two,  however, 
of  recent  occurrence,  will  perhaps  suffice. 

On  the  eleventh  of  June,  1833,  a  strong  wind  sprang 
up  early  in  the  morning  from  the  west,  and  increased 
in  force  till  noon,  when  it  blew  quite  a  gale,  and  con- 
tinued so  to  do  throughout  the  day.  It  slackened  a 
little  during  the  night,  and  gradually  decreased  in  vio- 
lence the  next  day,  dying  entirely  away  by  the  evening. 
The  effects  of  this  wind  on  a  vine  of  the  White  Mus- 
cadine sort,  trained  on  a  wall  having  a  western  aspect, 
were  carefully  observed.  It  had  on  a  full  crop  of  fruit, 
and  a  good  supply  of  fine  young  bearing-shoots,  and 
was  altogether  in  a  most  thriving  condition.  Such, 
however,  were  the  injurious  effects  of  the  wind,  in  dis- 
sipating all  the  accumulated  secretions  of  the  foliage, 
and  then  closing,  almost  hermetically,  its  pores,  and 
thereby  totally  deranging  the  vital  functions  of  the  plant, 
that,  although  in  the  heighth  of  the  growing  season, 
not  the  slightest  appearance  of  renewed  vegetation 
could  be  discerned  in  any  part  of  its  leaves,  shoots,  or 
fruit,  until  the  third  day  of  July,  or  twenty  two  days 
afterwards.  It  never  produced  another  inch  of  good 
bearing  wood  throughout  the  remainder  of  the  season, 
but  lingered  in  a  very  weak  and  sickly  condition  ;  and 
the  fruit,  which  had  been  previously  estimated  at  90 
Ibs,  weight,  did  not  exceed  55  Ibs.  when  gathered,  and 
that  of  a  very  inferior  description,  in  point  of  flavour 
and  size  of  berry.  Its  leaves  also,  having  been  thus 
crippled,  were  shed  prematurely  a  month  before  their 


42  ON    ASPECT. 

natural  time,  and  hence  the  deficiency  in  the  flavour 
and  size  of  the  grapes. 

The  other  instance,  which  happened  shortly  after- 
wards, is  still  more  decisive.  On  the  30th  of  August 
following,  about  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  a  strong 
wind  began  to  blow  from  the  south-west,  accompanied 
with  heavy  rain.  At  nine  it  blew  violently,  and  con- 
tinued  so  to  do  until  noon  the  next  day.  It  then 
slackened,  and,  then  veering  to  the  north-west,  died 
away  some  time  during  the  following  night. 

The  full  force  of  this  wind  fell  on  a  remarkably  fine 
Black  Hamburg  vine,  trained  on  a  wall,  having  a 
south-western  aspect,  and  its  effects  were  therefore 
proportionately  destructive.  Many  of  the  principal 
branches  were  torn  so  completely  from  their  fastenings, 
that  their  extremities  swept  the  ground.  The  bunches 
of  fruit  were  knocked  about,  and  portions  of  them,  as 
well  as  single  berries,  lay  scattered  on  the  ground  in 
every  direction.  On  the  fruit,  however,  that  survived 
the  wreck,  the  effects  of  the  wind  were  remarkable. 
It  must  be  stated,  that  the  wall  on  which  the  vine  is 
trained  is  ten  feet  hight,  and  is  so  situated  that,  to 
the  height  of  about  three  feet  from  the  ground,  the  wind 
had  but  little  power  over  it,  its  force  being  broken  by 
an  outer  wall,  standing  at  a  little  distance  off,  in  front 
of  it.  On  the  lower  part  of  the  wall  so  protected,  the 
grapes,  not  having  been  much  injured,  began  to  change 
their  colour  and  ripen  about  the  twentieth  of  Septem- 
ber, and  on  the  twelfth  of  October  every  berry  was 
perfectly  matured ;  while  all  those  that  remained  on 
the  vine  above  three  feet  from  the  ground,  were,  on  the 
first  of  November,  as  green  and  as  hard  as  on  the  thir- 
tieth of  August,  when  the  high'wind  occurred.  Shortly 
afterwards  these  began  to  change  their  colour,  and 
ultimately  ripened  tolerably  well  by  the  first  week  in 
December.  Thus,  solely  through  the  effects  of  a 


ON   ASPECT.  43 

strong  wind,  there  were  to  be  seen  at  the  same  time, 
on  the  same  branches  of  this  vine,  and  within  nine 
inches  of  each  other,  bunches  of  grapes,  the  lowermost 
of  which  were  perfectly  ripe,  while  the  uppermost  were 
quite  green  and  hard,  and  not  within  seven  weeks  of 
reaching  the  same  state  of  maturity. 

These  facts,  which  might  be  multiplied  indefinitely, 
sufficiently  show  the  injurious  effects  of  strong  winds, 
and  the  necessity  of  protecting  vines  as  much  as  possi- 
ble from  their  destructive  consequences.  Nor  must  it 
be  supposed  that  high  winds  are  those  only  which  injure 
the  vine.  Every  wind  that  blows  on  the  foliage  of  a 
vine  deranges  its  functions,  and  thereby  retards  the 
growth  of  the  plant,  and  the  maturation  of  its  fruit,  in 
a  greater  or  less  degree,  in  proportion  to  its  violence 
and  duration. 

In  the  choice  of  a  good  aspect,  therefore,  shelter 
from  high  or  often-recurring  winds  becomes  a  prime 
consideration  ;  and  those  aspects  that  are  the  least  ex- 
posed to  their  effects,  and  that  receive  a  full  portion  of 
the  solar  rays,  may  accordingly  be  deemed  the  best. 
There  are,  however,  in  general,  so  many  local  circum- 
stances which  affect  the  warmth  and  shelter  of  the  sur- 
faces of  walls  and  buildings,Jhat  these  alone,  where 
they  exist,  must  determine  the  best  aspects  for  the 
training  of  vines.     But  if  there  be  no  such  local  cir- 
cumstances to  influence  the  choice  of  aspect,  then,  I 
have  no  hesitation  in  stating,  from  a  careful  observa* 
tion  of  the  qualities  and  flavour  of  the  fruit  of  the  dif- 
ferent vintages  for  many  years  past,  that  the  best  as- 
pects in  which  grapes  can  be  brought  to  the  highest 
degree  of  perfection  on  open  walls  that  the  latitude 
and  climate  of  the  southern  parts  of  England  will  per- 
mit, are  those  that  range  from  the  eastern  to  the  south* 
eastern,  both  inclusive,  the  last  of  which,  indeed,  may 
be  considered  the  very  best* 


44  ON    ASPECT. 

On  walls  having  any  of  these  aspects  the  sun  shines 
with  full  force  in  the  early  part  of  the  morning,  at 
which  time  there  is  something  highly  favourable  to  ve- 
getation in  the  influence  of  his  rays.  These,  darting 
nearly  perpendicularly  on  the  foliage  of  a  vine,  while 
the  dew  yet  remains,  and  its  beautiful  crystal  drops 
hang  suspended,  as  it  were,  by  magic,  to  the  angular 
extremities  of  the  leaves,  seem  to  stimulate  the  vital 
energies  of  the  plant  in  an  extraordinary  degree,  and 
to  excite  them  to  a  vigorous  exercise  of  all  the  impor- 
tant functions  appertaining  to  vegetable  life. 

The  next  best  aspects  are  those  which  follow  in  suc- 
cession from  south-east  to  south.  An  aspect  due  south 
is  undoubtedly  a  very  good  one,  but  its  exposure  to 
those  strong  winds  which  so  frequently  blow  from  the 
south-west,  forms  a  great  drawback  to  its  excellence. 
The  remaining  aspects  are  those  which  range  succes- 
sively from  due  south  to  due  west.  These  are  all  good 
ones,  provided  they  are  sheltered,  or  partially  so,  from 
the  destructive  effects  of  the  high  winds  above  men- 
tioned. North  of  the  western  point,  the  maturation  of 
the  wood  and  fruit  of  the  vine  becomes  uncertain  ; 
nevertheless,  tolerably  good  grapes  may  be  grown  on 
the  surface  of  a  wall  Jiaving  an  aspect  not  farther 
north  than  west  by  north.  There  is,  however,  another 
aspect,  that  is  north  of  the  eastern  point  of  the  horizon, 
which  is  a  very  good  one  indeed,  and  that  is  east  by 
north.  On  a  wall  facing  this  point,  the  sun  shines  till 
about  eleven  o'clock  in  the  morning.  I.  have,  for  many 
years  past,  brought  several  sorts  of  grapes,  including 
the  Black  Hamburgh,  to  great  perfection  in  this  as- 
pect. North  of  this  point,  however,  the  solar  rays  are 
not  sufficiently  powerful  to  mature  either  the  wood  or 
the  fruit  of  the  vine. 


ON    SOILS.  45 


CHAPTER  V. 


ON    SOIL. 

THE  natural  soil  which  is  most  congenial  to  the 
growth  of  the  vine,  and  to  the  perfection  of  its  fruit  in 
this  country,  is  a  light,  rich,  sandy  loam,  not  more  than 
eighteen  inches  in  depth,  on  a  dry  bottom  of  gravel, 
stones,  or  rocks. 

No  sub-soil  can  possess  too  great  a  quantity  of  these 
materials  for  the  roots  of  the  vine,  which  run  with 
eagerness  into  all  the  clefts,  crevices,  and  openings, 
in  which  such  sub-soils  abound.  In  these  dry  and 
warm  situations,  the  fibrous  extremities,  pushing  them- 
selves with  the  greatest  avidity,  and  continually 
branching  out  in  every  possible  direction,  lie  secure 
from  that  excess  of  moisture  which  frequently  accu- 
mulates in  more  compact  soils ;  and,  clinging  like  ivy 
round  the  porous  surfaces  of  their  retreats,  extract 
therefrom  a  species  of  food,  more  nourishing  than  that 
obtained  by  them  under  any  other  circumstances  what- 
ever. 

One  of  the  principal  causes  of  grapes  not  ripening 
well  on  open  walls  in  this  country,  is  the  great  depth 
of  mould  in  which  the  roots  of  vines  are  suffered  to 
run,  which,  enticing  them  to  penetrate  in  search  of 
food  below  the  influence  of  the  sun's  rays,  supplies 
them  with  too  great  a  quantity  of  moisture ;  vegeta- 
tion is  thereby  carried  on  till  late  in  the  summer,  in 
consequence  of  which  the  ripening  process  does  not 
commen:e  till  the  declination  of  the  sun  becomes  too 


46  ON  SOIL. 

rapid  to  afford  a  sufficiency  of  solar  heat  to  perfect 
the  fruit. 

To  prevent  this,  the  subsoil  should  be  composed  of 
dry  materials.  It  is  almost  impossible,  indeed,  to  make 
a  vine  border  of  materials  that  shall  be  too  dry  or  porous. 
It  is  not  mere  earth  that  the  roots  require  to  come  in 
contact  with,  to  induce  growth  and  extension,  but 
air  also,  which  is  as  necessary  to  them  as  to  the  leaves 
and  branches.  The  excrementitious  matter  discharged 
from  the  roots  of  a  vine  is  very  great ;  and  if  this  be 
given  out  in  a  soil  that  is  close  and  adhesive,  and 
through  which  the  action  of  the  solar  rays  is  feeble, 
the  air  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  roots  quickly  be- 
comes deleterious,  and  a  languid  and  diseased  vegeta- 
tion immediately  follows.  But  if  the  roots  grow  in 
a  soil  composed  of  dry  materials,  mixed  together  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  possess  a  series  of  cavities  and  in- 
terstices, into  which  the  sun's  rays  can  enter  with  free- 
dom, and  there  exert  their  full  power,  the  air  in  which 
the  roots  perform  their  functions  becomes  warmed  and 
purified,  they  absorb  their  food  in  a  medium  which 
dissipates  their  secretions,  and  a  healthy  and  vigorous 
vegetation  is  the  never-failing  consequence. 

The  roots  of  every  plant  have  a  peculiar  tempera- 
ture in  which  they  thrive  best ;  and  that  which  those 
of  the  vine  delight  in  most  is  generated  in  a  greater 
degree  in  stony  or  rocky  soils  than  in  any  other. 
This  is  easily  accounted  for  from  the  fact  that  soils 
of  this  description,  being  quickly  rendered  dry  by  eva- 
poration, are  always  free  from  that  excess  of  moisture 
which  is  so  injurious  to  the  growth  of  the  vine. 

It  may  hence  be  inferred,  that  vines  will  not  flour- 
ish in  a  cold  wet  soil,  nor  in  one  composed  of  a  stiff 
heavy  clay.  Grapes  produced  on  vines  planted  in  such 
soils  scarcely  ever  ripen  well,  and,  if  so,  never  possess 
the  flavour  of  those  grown  on  vines  planted  in  a  dry 


ON    SOILS.  47 

soil.  Vines  may  be  seen  in  all  parts  of  the  country, 
the  fruit  on  which  looks  well  during  the  early  part  of 
the  season,  but  when  the  ripening  period  arrives,  the 
berries  remain  green  and  hard,  or  otherwise  shrivel 
and  decay.  The  results  are  sure  to  be  produced 
when  the  roots  grow  in  a  soil  that  is  too  wet  and  ad- 
hesive, and  into  which  the  sun  and  air  cannot  freely 
penetrate. 

All  borders,  therefore,  made  expressly  for  the  recep- 
tion of  vines,  ought  to  be  composed  of  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  dry  materials,  such  as  stones  ;  brickbats, 
broken  moderately  small ;  lumps  of  old  mortar ;  broken 
pottery ;  oyster  shells,  <fyc.  <$fc.,  to  enable  the  roots  to 
extend  themselves  freely  in  their  search  after  food  and 
nourishment ;  to  keep  them  dry  and  warm  by  the  free 
admission  of  air  and  solar  heat ;  and  to  admit  of  heavy 
rains  passing  quickly  through,  without  being  retained 
sufficiently  long  to  saturate  the  roots,  and  thereby  in- 
jure their  tender  extremities. 

In  preparing  the  border,  then,  the  first  thing  is  to 
secure  a  dry  bottom.  If  the  soil  and  subsoil  be  natu- 
rally such  as  is  described  above,  as  the  most  congenial 
to  the  growth  of  the  vine,  nothing  more  is  required 
than  to  trench  the  ground  two  spit  deep,  to  clean  it 
well  from  all  weeds  and  roots,  and  to  make  it  as  fine 
as  possible,  and  it  will  then  be  in  a  proper  state  to  re- 
ceive the  vines. 

But  if  the  sub-soil  be  not  naturally  dry,  it  must  be 
made  so  by  the  usual  process  of  draining,  which  is  the 
basis  of  every  improvement  that  can  be  made  in  the 
soil.  The  bottom  of  the  drains  ought,  if  possible,  to  be 
four  feet  from  the  surface,  and  the  drains  a  foot  deep  ; 
the  clear  depth  of  the  border  will  then  be  three  feet. 
If  the  soil  of  this  is  heavy,  and  of  a  retentive  nature, 
two-thirds  of  it  ought  to  be  taken  entirely  away,  and 
the  remaining  portion,  which  should  be  the  top  spit, 


48  ON    SOIL. 

made  very  fine.  The  deficiency  should  be  made  good, 
by  adding  an  equal  quantity  of  dry  materials  of  the 
above-mentioned  description,  and  of  the  sweepings  of 
a  high  road,  all  of  which  must  be  well  mixed  and 
incorporated  together.  If  the  natural  soil  of  the  bor- 
der be  too  sandy  and  light,  the  same  process  may  be 
followed,  with  the  exception  of  the  addition  of  road 
sweepings.  In  lieu  of  these,  should  be  added  a  suffi- 
ciency of  fine  mould  collected  from  molehills,  which 
is  generally  of  a  rich  loamy  nature  ;  or  of  fresh  soil 
from  some  neighbuoring  meadow  or  common,  which, 
if  well  pastured,  will  prove  very  fertile  ;  but  if  neither 
of  these  can  be  procured,  the  deficiency  may  be  made 
good  from  the  top  spit  of  a  field  of  good  arable  land. 
And  of  whatever  nature  the  soil  may  be,  in  which  it  is 
intended  to  plant  vines,  it  ought  to  contain,  at  least, 
one-third  of  dry  materials  of  the  above-mentioned  de- 
scription. 

With  respect  to  the  sweepings  of  roads,  I  am  deci- 
dedly of  opinion,  that  those  obtained  from  a  turnpike 
road,  or  from  any  other  high  road,  kept  in  a  good  state 
of  repair  by  the  frequent  addition  of  stones,  and  on 
which  there  is  a  considerable  traffic  of  horses  or  other 
cattle,  is  the  very  best  compost  that  can  be  added  to 
any  border  intended  for  the  reception  of  vines.  Its 
component  parts,  consisting  chiefly  of  sand,  gravel, 
pulverized  stones,  and  the  residuum  of  dung  and  urine, 
afford  a  greater  quantity  of  food,  and  of  a  richer  and 
more  lasting  nature,  than  can  be  found  in  any  other 
description  of  compost  that  I  have  ever  seen,  or  heard 
of  being  used  for  that  purpose.  I  have,  on  many  occa- 
sions, opened  the  borders  of  vines  to  examine  the  direc- 
tion of  their  roots,  and  to  discover  the  particular  species 
of  soil  which  they  preferred,  and  I  have  uniformly 
found,  that  where  any  portion  of  this  compost  had  been 
introduced,  the  fibrous  extremities  of  the  roots  had 


ON    SOIL.  49 

pushed  themselves  into  it,  and  multiplied  there  in  a  ten- 
fold degree  beyond  those  in  the  adjacent  soil.  I  think, 
therefore,  that  however  rich  the  soil  of  a  vine  border 
may  naturally  be,  a  portion  of  this  compost  may  be 
added  to  it  with  the  greatest  advantage.  It  should  be 
scraped  or  swept  off  the  road,  when  it  is  not  so  wet  as 
to  cake  together,  nor  so  dry  as  to  be  bordering  upon 
dust,  but  in  a  moderately  dry  state,  betwixt  the  two 
extremes.  It  ought  to  be  mixed  with  the  other  com- 
ponents of  the  border,  soon  after  it  has  been  collected 
from  the  road,  as  all  its  valuable  qualities  will  then  be 
preserved  entire. 

In  putting  the  materials  of  the  border  together,  as 
many  whole  bones  as  can  possibly  be  procured  should 
be  inserted  with  them,  (in  the  manner  mentioned  in 
Chapter  VI.,  '*  On  Manure,")  and  if  these  cannot 
be  obtained  in  sufficient  abundance,  then  such  other 
substances  as  are  therein  recommended  as  manures, 
may  be  substituted.  It  is  desirable  that  the  width  of 
the  border  should  not  be  less  than  eight  feet,  if  local 
circumstances  will  permit,  but,  if  not,  one  of  less  width 
must  suffice.  For  the  space  of  about  a  couple  of  feet 
in  breadth  from  the  bottom  of  the  wall,  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  stones  or  gravel,  but  not  of  a  binding  nature 
should  be  laid,  to  form  a  path  to  stand  on,  in  order  to 
perform  with  cleanness  and  facility,  those  necessary 
operations  on  the  vines  which  are  almost  daily  required 
throughout  the  summer.  Stones,  or  gravel,  thus  laid 
over  the  border  at  the  bottom  of  the  wall,  will  likewise 
be  productive  of  great  advantage  in  radiating  the 
heat  of  the  sun's  rays,  and  thereby  hastening  the 
maturation  of  the  fruit  growing  on  the  lower  part  uf 
the  wall ;  and,  also,  in  keeping  it  clean,  and  free  from 
splashes  of  dirt,  that  are  frequently  the  consequences 
of  heavy  rains.  Small  shingle,  procured  from  the  sea 
beach,  when  local  circumstances  will  permit,  is  exceed. 


50  ON      SOIIr. 

ingly  well  calculated  for  the  purpose,  and  the  surfaces 
of  it  being  rendered  white  and  smooth  by  the  attrition 
of  the  sea,  it  produces  a  very  pleasing  and  cheerful 
effect. 

The  border  should  be  perfectly  level,  or,  if  a  sloping 
surface  cannot  be  avoided,  the  descent  must  be  from 
the  wall.  No  other  plant  or  tree  of  any  description 
should  be  intermixed  with  the  vines,  or  trained  against 
the  wall.  If  other  trees  be  trained  on  the  surface  of 
the  wall  amongst  the  vines,  the  current  year's  shoots  of 
the  latter  will  be  liable  to  be  shaded,  and  impeded  in 
their  growth  and  training,  and  be  thereby  deprived  of 
the  full  advantages  of  the  heat  of  the  wall. 

It  will  also  prove  very  beneficial  to  the  growth  and 
fertility  of  the  vines,  and  to  the  flavour  of  the  fruit,  if 
the  border  in  which  they  are  planted  be  never  cropped 
nor  digged.  The  cropping  of  a  vine  border  is  of  a 
highly  injurious  tendency,  for  it  not  only  impoverishes 
the  soil,  but  shades  it  from  the  influence  of  the  sun  and 
air,  which  is  a  consideration  of  the  very  last  importance. 
Solar  heat,  indeed,  is  the  only  thing  that  this  country 
is  deficient  in,  as  it  respects  the  culture  of  the  vine ; 
and  there  can  be  no  doubt,  I  think,  that  if  we  had  but 
a  trifling  portion  more  of  it,  the  southern  parts  of  Eng- 
land would  produce  grapes  on  open  walls,  equal  in  point 
of  flavour,  to  those  grown  in  the  most  auspicious  cli- 
mates. Great  care,  therefore,  ought  to  be  taken,  never 
to  intercept  or  obstruct  for  a  single  hour,  during  any 
part  of  the  year,  the  full  and  direct  operation  of  the  sun 
and  air  on  the  surface  of  a  vine  border. 

It  must  also  be  stated,  that  after  a  vine  has  been 
planted  three  or  four  years,  its  roots  will  begin  to  make 
their  way  upwards,  towards  the  surface  of  the  border, 
doubtless  attracted  thither  by  the  joint  influence  of  the 
sun  and  air.  And  if  the  border  be  not  disturbed  by 
cropping  or  digging,  they  will  come  up  close  to  the  sur- 


ON     SOIL.  51 

face  about  the  ninth  or  tenth  year.  In  this  situation 
they  receive  an  extraordinary  increase  of  solar  heat, 
the  very  life  and  soul  of  all  vegetation,  and  being,  more- 
over, near  the  surface,  they  can  be  nourished  with 
liquid  manure,  to  any  extent  that  may  be  considered 
necessary.  These  surface  roots  ought,  therefore,  to 
be  taken  great  care  of  and  encouraged  by  all  possible 
means,  as  being  amongst  the  most  valuable  of  any  be- 
longing to  the  vine,  and  as  contributing  in  a  high  de- 
gree to  improve  the  flavour  of  the  fruit,  and  to  insure 
its  ripening,  even  in  the  most  unfavourable  seasons. 

The  border,  therefore,   after  it  is  once  made,   ought 
never  to  be  stirred  but  at  intervals,  when  necessary  to 
prevent  the  surface  of  it  from  becoming  a  hard  imper- 
vious coat.     On  such  occasions  it  should  be  carefully 
forked  to  the  depth  of  a  couple  of  inches,  which   will 
keep  it  sufficiently  loose  and  open,  to  receive  the  full 
influence  of  the  sun  and  air.     Whenever   weeds  ap- 
pear, they  should  be  hoed  up,  or  plucked  by  the  hand 
immediately.    In  fine,  the  border  should  be  kept  sacred 
from  the  intrusion  of  any  other  plant,  tree,  or  vegeta- 
ble production  whatsoever,  and  be  solely   devoted  to 
the  growth  and  nourishment  of  the  roots  of  the  vines. 
Here,  before  concluding  these  remarks  upon  soil,  it 
is  necessary  to  observe,  that  although   the  foregoing 
directions  with  respect  to  soil,  the  preparation  of  bor- 
ders, &c.  will,  if  followed,  ensure  the  prosperous  growth 
of  vines,  and  the  annual   production  and    maturation 
of  fine  crops  of  grapes,  and    are  therefore   highly   de» 
serving  of  being  practically  adopted  at  all  times  when 
circumstances  permit,  yet  it  must  not,  therefore,  be 
supposed,  that  vines  will  not   grow  and  mature  fine 
fruit,  unless  planted  in  well-prepared  borders.     Quite 
the  contrary  is  the  fact,  for  vines  will  do  well  in  any 
unprepared  soil,  that  is  not  too  stiff,  and  that  has  a  dry 
bottom,  but  they  grow  quicker,  and  consequently  bear 


52  ON  SOIL. 

greater  crops  of  grapes  within  a  given  space  of  time, 
when  planted  in  a  soil  that  has  been  properly  prepared 
fcr  their  reception. 

For  instance,  if  two  cuttings  be  planted,  the  one  in 
the  soil  of  the  former  description,  and  the  other  in  one 
of  the  latter,  it  will  be  found  at  the  end  of  ten  years, 
that  the  stem  of  the  vine  growing  in  the  soil  that  was 
unprepared,  will  not  be  more  than  half  the  size  of  that 
planted  in  the  other  ;  consequently,  for  every  pound 
weight  of  fruit  which  the  smaller  stemmed  vine  can 
mature,  the  other  will  ripen  very  nearly  three  pounds. 
This  difference  occurring  annually,  is  sufficiently 
great,  to  repay  mcst  amply  the  trouble  and  expense 
incurred  in  making  a  suitable  border,  whenever  local 
circumstances  will  permit  of  such  an  operation  being 
performed.  Nevertheless,  the  disadvantages  of  a  poor 
soil,  or  an  unprepared  one,  may  in  some  measure  be 
compensated,  by  planting  the  vines  closer  together,  in 
which  case  the  surface  of  the  wall  will  be  much  soon- 
er covered  with  fruit  than  otherwise.  If  vines,  indeed, 
could  not  be  planted  with  any  prospect  of  success  in 
any  other  situations  than  in  borders  set  apart  for  that 
purpose,  but  a  very  small  quantity  of  grapes  could  be 
grown,  compared  with  what  the  country  is  capable  of 
producing.  Innumerable  instances  occur  throughout 
the  country,  and  especially  in  towns  and  their  subur- 
ban districts,  in  which  walls,  cottages,  houses,  and  va- 
rious descriptions  of  brick  and  stone  erections,  present 
very  favourable  aspects  for  the  training  of  vines,  but 
which,  nevertheless,  are  so  situated  locally,  as  to  pos- 
sess little  or  no  soil  at  all  on  the  surface  adjoining  their 
sites  ;  the  ground  being  either  paved  with  bricks  or 
stone,  or.  perhaps,  trodden  so  hard,  as  to  be  apparently 
incapable  of  yielding  sustenance  to  any  vegetable  pro- 
duction. 

In  all  such  cases,  however,  if  the  ground  adjoining 


OT*   SOIL.  53 

the  site  of  the  wall  or  building,  be  opened  to  the  ex- 
tent of  eighteen  inches  square,  and  as  many  deep,  it 
will  be  sufficient  to  admit  the  roots  of  a  young  vine, 
which  must  be  pruned  to  suit  that  space.  If  a  wider 
and  deeper  space  can  be  made,  it  will  of  course  ba 
better,  but  if  not,  that  will  do.  After  the  sides  and 
bottom  have  been  loosened  as  much  as  possible,  the  vine 
may  be  planted,  and  the  hole  filled  up  with  two-thirds 
of  rich  loamy  earth  and  one-third  of  road  scrapings, 
previously  mixed  well  together  ;  and,  if  necessary,  the 
surface  covering,  whether  of  stone,  brick,  or  otherwise, 
may  be  restored  again  to  its  former  state,  provided  a 
space  of  about  six  inches  square  be  left  open  for  the 
stem  to  swell  in  during  its  future  growth.  Vines 
planted  in  such  situations,  will,  in  general,  do  well,  al- 
though their  growth  will  not  be  so  rapid  as  when  plant- 
ed under  more  favourable  circumstances. 

In  all  cases  where  vines  are  planted  against  any 
description  of  buildings,  their  roots  push  as  soon  as 
possible  under  the  foundations,  being  attracted  thither 
by  the  warm  air  which  is  there  generated ;  and  such 
situations  being  also  dry,  from  the  excavations  which 
have  been  made,  offer  to  the  roots  the  same  protection 
from  excessive  moisture,  as  the  substratum  of  a  well- 
prepared  border.  The  same  may  be  observed  of  vines 
planted  against  walls,  the  foundations  of  which  pos- 
sess similar  advantages,  although  in  a  more  limited  de- 
gree. Hence  the  fact  may  be  inferred,  that  vines 
planted  in  such  situations,  without  any  previous  pre- 
paration of  the  soil,  will  frequently  grow  as  luxuriant- 
ly, and  produce  as  fine  grapes,  as  those  planted  in  rich 
and  well-prepared  borders. 

Indeed,  it  is  hardly  possible  to  plant  a  vine  in  any 
situation  in  which  it  will  not  thrive,  provided  its  roots 
can  by  any  means  push  themselves  into  a  dry  place, 
and  the  aspect  be  such  as  to  afford  to  its  branches  a 

E* 


54  ON    SOIL. 

sufficient  portion  of  the  sun's  rays  to  elaborate  the 
juices  of  the  plant.  The  truth  is,  that  the  roots  of  the 
vine  possess  an  extraordinary  power  of  adapting  them- 
selves to  any  situation  in  which  they  may  be  planted, 
provided  it  be  a  dry  one.  They  will  ramble  in  every 
direction  in  search  after  food,  and  extract  nourishment 
from  sources  apparently  the  most  barren.  In  short, 
they  are  the  best  caterers  that  can  possibly  be  ima- 
gined, for  they  will  grow,  and  even  thrive  luxuriantly, 
where  almost  every  other  description  of  plant  or  tree 
would  inevitably  starve. 


ON    MANURE.  55 


CHAPTER  VI. 


ON    MANURE. 

EVERY  substance  that  enriches  the  soil,  and  stimu- 
lates the  growth  of  plants,  may  be  called  a  manure. 

As  a  border  in  which  vines  are  to  be  planted  ought 
never  to  be  disturbed,  after  having  been  once  properly 
made,  it  follows,  that  those  manures  that  can  be  ap- 
plied with  advantage  to  promote  their  growth,  com- 
prehend, first,  such  as  can  be  mixed  and  incorporated 
with  the  soil  at  the  formation  of  the  border,  and  which 
add  to  its  fertility,  from  time  to  time,  according  to  the 
respective  periods  of  their  decomposition  and  amal- 
gamation with  it ;  and,  secondly,  such  as  can  be  ap- 
plied in  a  liquid  state,  or  otherwise,  as  a  top-dressing, 
at  any  subsequent  period. 

Of  those  manures,  therefore,  that  may  be  mixed  with 
the  soil  when  the  border  is  first  made,  the  best  are 
such  as  possess  the  two  valuable  qualities  of  affording 
to  the  roots  of  the  vine  the  highest  degree  of  nourish- 
ment, combined  with  the  greatest  permanency  of  dura- 
tion. Of  this  description  are  bones,  horns  and  hoofs  of 
cattle,  bone  dust,  the  entire  carcases  of  animals,  cuttings 
of  leather,  woollen  rags,  feathers,  and  hair. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  enter  into  a  minute  detail  of  the 
various  properties  of  these  manures  ;  chemical  analy- 
sis having  ascertained,  and  experience  amply  proved, 
that  all  of  them,  as  they  gradually  and  respectively 
decompose,  offer  to  the  roots  of  plants  an  abundant 
supply  of  food  of  the  most  nourishing  description. 


56  ON  MANURE. 

Bones,  however,  on  account  of  their  prolonged  effect, 
are  by  far  the  most  valuable  manure  that  can  be  de- 
posited in  a  vine  border.  They  should  be  buried  in 
the  soil  whole,  and  as  fresh  as  possible.  Every  varie- 
ty of  size  may  be  procured,  from  the  smallest  bone  of 
a  fowl,  to  the  largest  bone  of  an  ox.  The  small  bones 
will  decompose  in  a  few  months,  but  the  largest  will 
remain  for  twenty,  thirty,  and  even  fifty  years,  before 
they  are  entirely  decayed,  while  the  intermediate-sized 
ones,  according  to  their  respective  kinds,  will  be  con- 
tinually decomposing  in  succession  for  a  great  number 
of  years,  yielding  thereby  a  constant  supply  of  nutri- 
ment of  the  most  valuable  description.  It  is  worthy 
of  remark,  also,  that  every  bone,  whether  small  or 
large,  after  it  has  been  deposited  in  the  soil  a  few 
weeks,  will  begin  to  yield,  by  the  decomposition  of  the 
gluten  on  its  surface,  a  steady  supply  of  nutritious 
matter,  and  continue  so  to  do,  until  it  be  resolved  into 
its  constituent  parts,  and  form  part  of  the  soil  itself. 

Many  results  might  be  adduced,  of  experiments  tried 
at  various  times,  to  ascertain  the  value  of  entire  bones 
as  manure  to  the  roots  of  vines,  all  of  which  would 
prove,  that  they  yield,  beyond  all  comparison,  a  more 
permanent  supply  of  nourishment  than  can  be  obtained 
from  any  other  substance  used  as  manure.  The 
details  of  these  would  occupy  too  great  a  space  ;  those 
of  two,  however,  may  perhaps  be  advantageously 
mentioned. 

In  the  year  1826,  several  vines  were  planted  against 
a  wall  having  a  south  aspect,  in  a  border  the  soil  of 
which  is  a  stiff  clayey  loam.  In  the  following  year, 
a  quantity  of  bones,  not  more  than  a  bushel,  the  largest 
of  which  was  the  blade  bone  of  a  calf,  was  digged  into 
the  border  at  a  distance  of  five  feet  from  the  wall.  They 
were  deposited  all  together  as  a  horizontal  layer  of  six 
inches  in  depth,  the  upper  surface  being  twelve  inches, 


ON   MANUKE.  57 

and  the  bottom  eighteen,  from  the  surface  of  the  bor- 
der. In  the  spring  of  1833,  the  border  was  opened, 
in  order  to  ascertain  to  what  extent  the  roots  of  the 
vines  were  nourished  by  these  bones.  On  examin- 
ation, it  was  found  that  the  roots  had  branched  out  in 
every  possible  direction  amongst  the  bones,  the  sur- 
faces of  which  were  completely  covered  with  their  fi- 
bres. The  blade  bone  happened  to  be  in  such  a  posi- 
tion, that  both  sides  of  it  could  be  distinctly  seen,  and 
on  examining  them  minutely,  they  appeared  to  have 
every  part  of  their  surface  covered  with  the  smallest 
fibres  imaginable,  so  small,  indeed,  were  some  of  them, 
that  they  could  scarcely  be  discerned  by  the  naked 
eye.  Their  extremities  were  fixed  on  the  surface  of 
the  bone,  as  firmly  and  in  the  same  manner  as  a  leech 
when  applied  for  the  purpose  of  sucking  blood,  and 
they  were  evidently  extracting  by  means  of  their  mouths 
or  pores,  an  abundant  supply  of  nourishing  food.  From 
the  different  shades  of  colour  apparent  in  many  of  the 
larger  parent  fibres,  and  other  indications  of  annual 
growth,  it  appeared  that  they  had  been  enjoying  the 
banquet  which  this  bone  afforded  for  at  least  five  years  ; 
and  as  it  was  but  little  decayed  it  seemed  to  promise 
them  a  continuation  of  the  feast  for  ten  or  fifteen  years 
to  come.  The  whole  appearance  of  the  bone  was  sin- 
gular in  the  extreme,  being  completely  enveloped  in  a 
mass  of  apparently  beautiful  gauze  net-work. 

The  chief  part  of  the  roots  which  had  multiplied  so 
prodigiously  amongst  these  bones,  was  found  to  proceed 
from  a  single  root,  which  had  pushed  itself  horizontally, 
and  in  a  direct  line  through  the  border,  till  it  reached 
the  bones,  throwing  out  in  its  course  but  few  fibres,  the 
soil  being  of  an  unfavorable  nature  to  afford  them  much 
food.  The  root  proceeded  from  a  Black  Hamburgh 
vine,  which  has,  for  several  years  past,  produced  some 
of  the  finest-bearing  shoots  I  ever  saw,  from  which  I 


58  ON   MANURE. 

annually  obtain  bunches  of  grapes  weighing  from  one 
to  two  pounds,  with  berries  measuring  from  two  inches 
and  a  half  to  three  inches  in  circumference. 

A  similar  examination  of  another  border  some  years 
since,  produced  the  like  result.  About  seven  years 
previously  to  my  inspecting  it,  a  few  bones  had  been 
inserted  in  the  soil,  one  of  which  was  the  thigh  bone  of 
an  ox.  After  carefully  removing  the  top  spit  of  the 
border,  into  which  the  fibres  of  the  roots  had  pushed 
themselves  pretty  thickly,  I  discovered  this  bone  about 
a  foot  below  the  surface,  and  about  four  feet  distant 
from  the  stem  of  a  vine.  The  hollow  part  which  had 
contained  the  marrow,  was  open  at  both  ends.  On 
examining  it,  I  found  that  a  root  of  the  vine  had  trav- 
ersed the  surface  of  it,  in  a  direct  line,  from  one  end  to 
the  other,  throwing  out  an  immense  number  of  small 
fibres,  which  covered  its  entire  convex  surface.  On 
a  closer  inspection,  and  tracing  the  course  of  the  root, 
it  appeared,  that  when  it  had  reached  the  end  of  the 
bone,  instead  of  pushing  straight  forward  into  the  soil, 
it  had  turned  down  over  the  single  thickness,  entered 
the  hollow  part,  and  was  returning,  through  the  inside 
of  the  bone,  towards  the  same  end  at  which  it  first 
came  in  contact  with  it.  The  bone  was  very  thick,  and 
though  it  had  been  in  the  ground  seven  years,  it  pre- 
sented scarcely  any  signs  of  decay.  It  was  so  com- 
pletely enveloped  in  fibres,  that  no  further  examina- 
tion could  take  place  without  putting  the  health  of  the 
vine  in  jeopardy.  This  vine  is  also  a  Black  Hamburgh, 
and  for  many  years  past  it  has  annually  produced  both 
fruit  and  current  year's  bearing-shoots  of  the  very  finest 
description,  although  the  soil  in  which  it  grows  is  far 
from  being  a  rich  one.  The  fact  of  the  root  clinging 
to  the  bone,  and  making  a  retrograde  movement  through 
the  hollow  part  of  it,  rather  than  push  forward  into  the 
soil,  is  conclusive  as  to  its  decided  preference  of  the  for- 


ON    MANURE.  59 

mer  to  the  latter  ;  and  the  surprising  number  of  fibres 
which,  in  both  of  these  instances,  were  absorbing  nutri- 
ment through  the  medium  of  their  spongioles,  or  newly, 
formed  extremities,  clearly  shews,  that  whole  bones 
deposited  in  the  soil  in  their  fresh  and  entire  state,  fur- 
nish to  the  roots  of  vines  for  a  long  period  of  time  an 
extraordinary  supply  of  food  of  the  richest  description. 

I  have  stated  these  circumstances  in  detail,  because 
such  facts  are  worth  all  the  theories  in  the  world. 

Horns  and  hoofs  of  cattle,  or  the  parings  or  shavings 
of  them,  may  be  classed  next  to  bones  in  point  of  value, 
while  their  effects  last,  but  their  duration  is  not  so  long, 
nor  are  they,  indeed,  to  be  procured  in  sufficient  abun- 
dance to  be  calculated  upon  for  an  adequate  supply. 

Bone  dus^  is  a  very  powerful  manure,  producing  im- 
mediate effect,  and  is  lasting  in  its  duration ;  but  the 
process  of  boiling  bones,  previously  to  their  being 
crushed,  deprives  them  of  their  very  best  qualities. 

The  entire  carcases  of  animals,  or  any  portions  of 
them,  dead  birds,  <$fc.  <$fc.  independently  of  their  bones, 
yield,  after  decomposition,  an  extraordinary  supply  of 
food  for  the  roots  of  vines,  impregnating  the  soil  all 
around  with  a  great  quantity  of  nutritious  matter. 
Dead  animals  of  every  description,  therefore,  such  as 
dogs,  cats,  pigs,  &c.  that  have  died,  may  be  thus  dis- 
posed of  in  a  most  advantageous  manner,  by  depositing 
them,  in  their  entire  state,  in  the  vine  border. 

Cuttings  of  leather,  old  or  new,  old  shoes,  fyc.  are  a 
very  valuable  manure,  remaining  in  the  ground  many 
years  before  entirely  decomposed.  The  roots  of  vines 
are  very  partial  to  this  description  of  manure.  I  have 
examined  the  soles  of  old  shoes  that  have  been  depos- 
ited in  the  soil  upwards  of  seven  years,  and  have  found 
their  surfaces  covered  with  fibres,  feeding  eagerly  upon 
them. 

WboUg*  rags,  feathers,  and  hair,  may  all  be  mentioned 


60  ON    MANURE. 

as  valuable  manures,  yielding,  during  their  decomposi- 
tion, a  great  supply  of  nutritious  matter. 

A  vast  number  of  other  substances  well  known  as 
manures  might  be  enumerated,  but  though  many  of 
these  would  be  found  to  be  very  valuable  with  refer- 
ence to  their  immediate  effect,  their  good  qualities  be- 
ing of  transient  duration,  would  be  entirely  dissipated 
before  the  roots  of  the  vines  could  derive  any  lasting 
benefit  from  them.  Moreover,  powerful  manures  of 
short  duration  excite  vines  to  a  sort  of  premature 
growth,  and  when  the  roots  are  becoming  strong  and 
vigorous,  and  capable  of  absorbing  with  advantage  a 
greater  quantity  of  nutriment,  the  manure  is  exhaust- 
ed, and  the  plants  immediately  make  a  retrograde 
movement,  in  consequence  of  having  been  unnaturally 
excited  by  a  gluttonous  supply  of  stimulating  food. 
Steadiness  of  supply  and  permanency  of  duration,  are 
the  two  grand  requisites  of  all  manures  intended  to  be 
deposited  in  borders  appropriated  for  the  growth  of 
vines  ;  and  those  already  enumerated  have  been  found 
by  experience  to  possess  these  valuable  qualities  in  a 
greater  degree  than  any  other. 

As  a  point  of  culture  of  great  importance  to  be  at- 
tended to,  in  depositing  manure  in  the  soil,  care  must 
be  taken  not  to  dig  it  in  too  deeply.  The  roots  of 
vines  should  be  induced  to  extend  themselves  in  a  hori- 
zontal manner,  and  as  near  the  surface  of  the  border  as 
possible.  Solar  heat  is  generally  supposed  to  pene- 
trate to  the  depth  of  three  feet,  but  its  effects  at  that 
distance  from  the  surface  cannot  be  very  strong,  espe- 
cially in  soils  that  are  of  an  adhesive  nature.  The 
food,  therefore,  that  is  provided  for  the  roots  of  vines, 
should  lie  imbedded  in  the  soil  in  the  form  of  a  hori- 
zontal stratum  or  layer,  the  top  of  which  should  be 
about  six  inches,  and  the  bottom  not  more  than  two 
feet,  below  the  surface.  Manure  so  deposited  will  cause 


ON   MANURE.  61 

the  roots  to  spread  themselves  oui  within  such  a  dis- 
tance of  the  surface  as  will  keep  mem  warm  and  dry, 
and  enable  them  to  receive  the  cherishing  influence  of 
the  sun  and  air. 

Liquid  manure.  This  is  a  species  of  manure  that  is 
highly  valuable  where  immediate  effect  is  required.  As 
the  pores  which  abound  in  the  fibres  of  the  roots  of 
plants  are  too  small  to  admit  of  any  solid  substance 
passing  into  them,  and  can  only  absorb  nutriment  when 
presented  to  them  either  in  a  fluid  or  gaseous  state, 
liquid  manures  act  with  a  far  greater  degree  of  energy 
than  those  of  a  solid  nature,  inasmuch  as  they  contain 
all  the  soluble  parts  of  manure  in  such  a  state  as  to  ad- 
mit of  being  taken  up  by  the  roots  as  soon  as  applied. 
The  most  powerful  are  urine,  soot-water,  blood,  the 
drainings  of  dung-heaps,  and  soap-suds. 

Urine,  on  account  of  its  saline  qualities,  is  better  cal- 
culated to  promote  the  fertility  of  the  vine  than  any 
other  liquid  whatever.  It  should  be  used  as  fresh  as 
possible,  and  if  applied  in  the  growing  season,  or  betwixt 
the  middle  of  March  and  the  first  of  November,  it  should 
be  mixed  with  an  equal  quantity  of  water  ;  at  any  other 
period  of  the  year  it  may  be  cast  on  the  border  in  its 
natural  state. 

Soot,  dissolved  in  water,  in  the  proportion  of  one 
quart  of  soot  to  twelve  quarts  of  water,  and  mixed 
a  few  days  previously  to  its  being  used,  is  an  ex- 
ceedingly strong  manure,  highly  stimulating  in  its  na- 
ture, and  a  great  purifier  of  the  soil. 

Blood,  the  drainings  of  dung -heaps,  and,  soap-suds, 
should  be  used  as  fresh  as  possible,  in  order  that  their 
good  qualities  may  be  preserved  entire.  They  are  all 
valuable  manures,  calculated  to  enrich  the  soil  in  a 
very  high  degree. 

To  the  foregoing  may  be  added,  every  description  of 
liquid  refuse  that  proceeds  from  a  dwellng-house  or  hu- 
F 


62  ON    MANURE. 

man  habitation.  All  such  constitute  a  valuable  class 
of  manures,  and  n^y,  therefore,  be  applied  to  a  vine 
border  with  the  greatest  advantage.  If  any  be  too 
strong  and  spirituous,  an  equal  quantity  of  water  should 
be  mixed  with  them  previously  to  their  being  used. 

For  the  purpose  of  top-dressing,  and  to  be  forked  into 
the  border  when  requisite,  may  be  named  as  highly  en- 
riching manures,  night-soil,  fish,  stable  manure,  and  the 
excrements  of  every  description  of  birds  and  animals. 
Night-soil  is  a  very  stimulating  manure,  but  transient 
in  its  effects,  which  renders  it  more  fit  for  a  top-dress- 
ing than  to  be  used  as  a  component  part  of  the  border 
when  first  made.  If  spread  on  the  surface  in  a  thin 
layer,  it  will  soon  dry,  and  may  then  be  forked  in,  in  a 
pulverised  state. 

In  concluding  these  remarks  on  manure,  it  is  neces- 
sary further  to  observe,  with  respect  to  the  application 
of  liquid  manures  and  top-dressings,  that  care  must  be 
taken  not  to  make  the  surface  of  the  border  too  rich. 
An  excess  of  manure  deteriorates  the  flavour  of  grapes, 
and  is,  moreover,  injurious  to  the  fertility  of  a  vine, 
inasmuch  as  it  stimulates  the  plant  too  highly,  causing 
thereby  an  excessive  and  unnatural  growth  of  wood, 
which,  being  formed  too  rapidly,  becomes  long-jointed 
and  productive  of  leaf-buds  instead  of  fruit-buds. 
Liquid  manures  and  top-dressings,  therefore,  must  be 
judiciously  applied,  lest  a  rank  and  barren  vegetation  be 
induced,  in  lieu  of  a  healthy  and  fruitful  one.  This 
cautionary  remark  is  the  more  necessary,  as  vines  are 
well  known  to  be  amongst  the  grossest  feeders  in  na- 
ture ;  their  roots  absorbing  with  the  appetite  of  a 
glutton  every  description  of  liquid  refuse  that  is  placed 
within  their  reach,  however  fetid  or  nauseous  it  may  be. 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  WALLS.  63 


CHAPTER  VII. 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  WALLS. 

To  ripen  any  of  the  sorts  of  grapes  cultivated  in  this 
country,  (England,)  sufficiently  to  be  used  as  table  fruit, 
requires  the  shelter  and  reflected  heat  of  a  wall. 

The  proper  height  of  a  wall  intended  for  the  training 
of  vines  upon,  must  depend  in  a  great  measure  on  local 
circumstances.  In  an  unsheltered  situation,  and  an 
aspect  exposed  to  the  injurious  influence  of  westerly  or 
south-westerly  winds,  I  have  never  seen  fine  grapes 
produced  much  higher  than  eight  feet  from  the  ground. 
But,  in  situations  and  aspects  of  an  opposite  descrip- 
tion no  limit  to  the  height  of  a  wall  need  be  assigned, 
for  as  fine  grapes  may  be  matured  at  the  distance  of 
twenty  feet  from  the  ground  as  at  any  less  height. 
Grapes,  when  growing  at  a  less  distance  than  about 
four  feet  from  the  ground,  certainly  enjoy  a  considera- 
ble increase  of  reflected  heat,  particularly  if  the  surface 
adjoining  the  wall  be  paved  or  covered  with  stones,  or 
gravel ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  to  counterbalance  this 
advantage,  if  the  aspect  be  cast  or  west,  the  sun  will 
shine  longer  on  the  upper  part  of  the  wall  than  on  the 
lower  part,  in  consequence  of  which,  the  surface  of  the 
wall  will  be  found,  in  general,  pretty  equally  heated  in 
all  its  parts.  But,  if  the  aspect  be  south,  the  solar  rays 
during  the  summer  will  strike  the  entire  surface  of  the 
wall  at  the  same  instant  of  time,  unless  there  be  some 
local  impediment;  and  in  this  aspect,  therefore,  the 
lower  pa-t  of  the  wall  will  always  enjoy  an  increased 


64  ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  WALLS. 

degree  of  warmth  ft*>m  the  reflection  of  the  ground. 
Hence,  grapes  growing  within  two  or  three  feet  of  the 
bottom  of  a  wall  facing  the  south,  will,  in  general, 
ripen  from  ten  days  to  a  fortnight  earlier  than  those 
growing  on  the  upper  part  of  it.  There  is  a  disadvan- 
tage, however,  in  training  grapes  near  the  ground,  as  it 
respects  their  remaining  on  the  vine  after  being  ripe. 
If  grapes  can  be  kept  perfectly  dry,  they  will  hang  on 
the  vine,  and  improve  in  flavour,  for  a  long  time  after 
they  are  ripe  ;  but  if  dampness  or  moisture  of  any  de- 
scription reach  them,  the  consequences  are  quickly 
seen  in  the  decay  of  the  berries.  After  the  middle  of 
October,  therefore,  it  will  be  found  a  difficult  matter  to 
preserve  grapes  that  hang  within  two  feet  of  the  ground, 
on  account  of  the  damp  exhalations  that  continually 
arise  from  the  soil  at  that  period  of  the  year. 

If  walls  be  built  for  the  express  purpose  of  producing 
grapes,  the  most  judicious  expenditure  of  the  materials 
will  be  in  the  erection  of  several  low  walls,  not  more 
than  six  feet  high,  in  preference  to  a  small  number  of 
very  high  walls.  For  the  purposes  of  pruning  and 
training,  and  the  general  management  of  the  vines, 
walls  of  this  height  are  far  more  convenient  than  those 
of  a  greater  height  ;  and  if  built  to  run  directly  north 
and  south,  the  entire  surface  of  both  sides  of  each  wall 
will  be  available  for  the  training  of  the  vines;  and  as 
snch  walls  need  not  be  built  at  a  great  distance  apart, 
an  astonishing  quantity  of  grapes  may  be  thus  annually 
grown  on  a  small  extent  of  ground,  by  the  erection  of 
a  few  walls  of  this  description,  built  parallel  to,  and  not 
far  distant  from  each  other. 

The  best  materials  for  the  construction  of  vine  walls 
are,  without  doubt,  bricks,  as  they  present  a  more 
even  surface  than  can  be  obtained  from  walls  built  of 
any  other  description  of  materials  ;  and  evenness  of 
surface  is  a  quantity  that  cannot  be  dispensed  with. 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  WALLS.  65 

It  is  not  only  necessary  for  the  training  of  vines  with 
precision,  but  if  the  surface  of  tn%  wall  be  not  smooth 
and  even,  the  grapes  will,  at  times,  be  considerably  in- 
jured, by  being  blown  to  and  fro  by  the  wind,  against 
the  rough  and  uneven  parts  of  it. 

Dark-coloured  flint  walls  are  hotter  than  those  built 
of  brick,  but  this  advantage  is  more  than  counterbal- 
anced by  their  uneven  surface.  But  if  the  faces  of 
the  flints  be  well  hammer-dressed,  and  the  Joints  of 
the  wall  made  to  run  in  proper  courses,  they  make  a 
handsome  wall,  and  one  that  will  absorb  and  retain 
heat  in  a  greater  degree  than  any  other. 

If,  from  local  causes,  neither  bricks  nor  flints  can 
be  procured,  stone  of  any  description  may  be  substitu- 
ted, but  the  darker  the  colour,  and  the  closer  the  tex- 
ture, the  more  will  it  absorb  and  retain  heat,  and  repel 
moisture  ;  and,  consequently,  the  better  will  it  be 
adapted  for  the  end  in  view. 

As  a  substitute  for  walls,  stout  ranges  of  paling, 
made  of  well-seasoned  wood,  or  of  the  planks  of  old 
ships,  well  coated  over  with  paint,  are  at  times  erected, 
but  grapes  produced  in  this  way  are  seldom  equal  to 
those  grown  on  walls. 

For  the  foundation  of  a  vine  wall,  stone  is  preferable 
to  bricks,  the  former  being  more  solid  and  durable. 
And,  if  the  wall  be  an  outer  one,  and  the  soil  on  the 
outside  of  it  be  of  such  a  description  as  to  render  it 
necessary  that  the  roots  of  the  vines  should  be  prevent- 
ed from  getting  into  it,  the  foundation  ought  to  be 
deep,  and  cemented  firmly  together,  so  as  to  make  it 
as  solid  as  possible.  But  if  the  soil,  on  each  side  of 
the  wall,  be  such  as  to  make  it  advantageous  for  the 
roots  to  run  freely  into  it,  no  greater  depth  need  be 
gone  to,  nor  should  any  more  cement  be  used  in  put- 
ting the  materials  together,  than  is  necessary  to  make 
the  foundation  sufficiently  strong  and  firm  to  support 

F* 


66  ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  WALLS. 

the  superstructure.  The  drier  and  looser,  indeed,  that 
the  materials  can  Be  laid  together,  and  the  greater 
number  of  cavities  and  interstices  that  can  be  left  in  the 
foundation,  the  better  adapted  will  it  be  to  admit  the 
roots  of  the  vines,  which  delight  to  ramble  amongst 
such  materials,  in  preference  to  growing  in  even  the 
richest  soil. 

Blacke-ning  the  surface  of  a  wall,  is  productive  of  a 
considerable  increase  of  heat  as  long  as  the  sun  shines 
upon  it,  out  during  the  night,  and  such  part  of  the  day 
as  the  surface  is  in  the  shade,  it  will  make  the  wall 
colder.  This  arises  from  the  black-coloured  surface 
parting  with  its  heat  immediately  the  sun's  rays  are 
withdrawn.  With  respect,  therefore,  to  walls  racing 
the  east  or  west,  the  surfaces  of  which,  even  in  the 
height  of  summer,  do  not  receive  the  solar  rays  more 
than  one-third  of  every  twenty-four  hours,  the  colour- 
ing of  them  black  will  be  injurious  rather  than  other- 
wise, inasmuch  as  the  intensity  of  the  cold  increases 
in  proportion  to  the  sun's  absence.  Hut  when  the  as- 
pect is  due  south,  or  very  nearly  so,  the  surface  of  a 
wall  may  be  blackened  with  advantage,  as  the  duration 
of  the  sun's  absence  as  compared  with  his  presence,  in 
this  aspect,  is  more  equally  balanced  throughout  the 
summe'r  months  ;  and  the  increase  of  heat,  therefore,  is 
more  than  equivalent  to  that  of  the  cold  ;  the  former 
being,  on  a  clear  day,  and  when  the  sun  is  on  the 
meridian,  frequently  from  ten  to  twenty  degrees  more 
than  that  of  the  surface  of  an  unblackened  wall. 

Lime-washing  the  surface  of  a  vine  wall  every  year, 
will  be  found  very  advantageous  in  keeping  it  clean, 
and  free  from  insects  and  the  growth  of  moss.  Walls 
newly-built  may  be  exempted  from  this  operation 
during  the  first  three  or  four  years  after  their  erection, 
but  in  every  subsequent  year  it  is  almost  indispensable. 
When  the  surface  of  a  wall  is  covered  with  the  foliage 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  WALLS.  67 

of  a  vine,  the  nails  used  in  training  the  shoots  are 
necessarily  numerous,  and  these  'being  withdrawn  at 
the  autumnal  pruning,  their  holes  are  quickly  taken 
possession  of  by  various  descriptions  of  insects.  If 
these  be  suffered  to  remain  unmolested,  they  will  multi- 
ply amazingly  during  the  next  summer;  and  in  the  au- 
tumn, when  the  fruit  is  cut,  the  bunches  will  be  infested 
with  them  to  an  injurious  and  offensive  degree.  The 
nail  holes  may  certainly  be  filled  up  with  mortar,  but 
this  is  a  tedious  operation,  and  produces  an  unsightly 
appearance.  I  have  never  found  any  thing  so  effec- 
tual as  a  good  coating  of  white-wash,  made  from  new 
lirne,  and  of  a  thickish  consistence.  This,  by  filling 
up  the  holes  and  other  vacancies,  effectually  destroys 
all  the  vermin,  prevents  the  growth  of  moss,  and  pro- 
motes, not  a  little,  the  healthy  vegetation  of  the  vines. 
The  face  of  the  wall  will  thus  be  renovated,  and  made 
to  look  as  well  as  when  first  built,  and  its  pure  white- 
ness will  add  greatly  to  the  cheerful  appearance  of  the 
garden.  The  proper  time  of  the  year  to  perform  this 
operation  is  at  the  beginning  of  March,  just  as  the  winter 
covering  of  the  bud  is  about  to  open  ;  but  if  the  season 
be  forward,  the  last  week  in  February  will  do  better. 
The  vines  should  be  unnailed,  and  held  a  little  distance 
from  the  wall  by  one  person,  while  another  washes  its 
surface,  after  which  the  branches  may  be  trained,  and 
nailed  for  the  season,  or  otherwise  temporarily  so,  until 
that  operation  can  be  conveniently  performed.  If  the 
wash  fall  on  any  of  the  branches,  it  will  not  be  of  the 
slightest  consequence,  as,  though  a  little  unsightly  at 
first,  it  will  quickly  disappear  at  the  rising  of  the 
sap. 

Projecting  copings,  fixed  on  vine  walls,  though  at- 
tended with  many  advantages,  are  not  without  some 
disadvantages.  They  are  very  beneficial  in  protecting 
the  young  shoots  of  the  vines  from  the  effects  of  late 


68  ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OP  WALLS. 

frosts  in  the  spring,  in  preserving  the  blossoms  from 
cold  dews  and  heavy  rains,  and  in  keeping  the  grapes 
in  good  condition,  for  a  considerable  period  of  time 
after  they  have  become  ripe.  They  also  contribute  to 
prevent  the  escape  of  heat  from  the  wall,  and  are  like- 
wise extremely  convenient  to  fasten  netting,  bunting, 
&c.  to,  when  necessary  to  protect  the  fruit  from  birds 
and  insects.  On  the  other  hand,  they  exclude  a  por- 
tion of  light  and  air,  and  prevent  the  dew,  and  in  some 
measure  the  rain  also,  from  descending  on  the  foliage, 
and  these  are  very  beneficial  after  the  fruit  is  set,  and 
until  it  begins  to  ripen.  Nevertheless,  the  advantages 
of  projecting  copings  decidedly  preponderate.  If  there 
were  no  other  benefit  arising  from  them,  that  of  pro- 
tecting the  fruit  from  heavy  rains,  and  thereby  keeping 
it  dry  and  in  good  condition,  for  two  or  three  months 
after  it  is  ripe,  would  be  quite  sufficient  to  turn  the 
scale  at  once  in  their  favour.  With  respect  to  the 
width  of  the  projecting  part  when  permanently  fixed, 
that  must  depend  on  the  aspect  and  height  of  the  wall. 
If  the  latter  be  less  than  four  feet,  and  the  aspect  south, 
the  coping  ought  not  to  project  at  all,  as  the  light  and  solar 
heat  excluded  by  it  will  be  a  serious  drawback  on  the 
healthy  vegetation  of  the  vines.  But  if  the  wall  be 
four  feet  high,  then  the  coping  may  project  as  many 
inches,  and  if  this  width  be  increased  an  inch  every 
foot  that  the  wall  increases  in  height  up  to  twelve 
feet,  the  principal  advantages  arising  from  the  protec- 
tion which  a  coping  affords,  will  be  secured,  in  con- 
junction with  the  smallest  portion  of  its  disadvantages. 
If  the  wall,  therefore,  be  twelve  feet  high,  the  coping 
will  project  a  foot,  more  than  which  no  coping  should 
project,  whatever  may  be  the  height  of  the  wall.  If 
the  aspect  be  east,  or  west,  the  coping  must  be  as  nar- 
row as  possible,  as  every  inch  of  projection  in  these 
aspects,  causes  a  considerable  diminution  in  the  dura- 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION    OF  WALLS.  69 

tion  of  sunshine  on  the  surface  of  the  wall.  If  the 
height  of  the  wall  be  less  than  six  feet,  a  projection  had 
better  bo  dispensed  with,  but  if  it  reach  that  height, 
one  of  four  inches  in  width  may  be  used,  and  this  may 
be  increased  half  an  inch  every  foot  the  wall  is  higher, 
until  it  reaches  the  width  of  twelve  inches,  which  will 
give  a  height  of  twenty-two  feet  for  the  wall.  It  is 
seldom  that  a  mere  wall  reaches  this  height ;  but  what- 
ever height  a  wall  may  be,  if  the  width  of  the  coping 
correspond  to  these  proportions,  the  advantages  derived 
therefrom  will  be  as  great  as  can  be  obtained  in  these 
aspects,  without,  in  an  injurious  degree,  excluding  the 
solar  rays.  It  may  be  remarked,  also,  that  a  projec- 
tion of  less  than  four  inches  in  width  on  a  vine  wail  is 
calculated  to  do  more  harm  than  good,  as  the  drip  will 
fall  on  the  fruit,  which,  in  any  stage  of  its  growth,  will 
greatly  injure  it. 

Mweablc  wooden  copings  may  be  ussd  with  great  ad- 
vantage, as  they  produce  all  the  benefit  of  fixed  copings 
without  any  of  their  disadvantages.  Copings  of  this 
description  may  project  a  little  more  than  the  propor- 
tions above-mentioned,  those  being  intended  to  apply 
tojixed  copings  only.  If  temporary  copings  be  used, 
the  proper  periods  of  the  year  for  their  application  will 
be  as  follows  :  first,  from  the  twenty. first  of  March  to 
the  middle  of  May,  to  protect  the  young  shoots  from 
the  injurious  effects  of  late  frosts,  and  from  descending 
cold;  —  secondly,  from  the  first  expanding  of  the  blos- 
soms, until  the  berries  are  well  set ; — and,  thirdly,  from 
the  period  of  the  berries  becoming  transparent,  and 
showing  symptoms  of  ripening,  until  the  fruit  be  all  cut 
from  the  vines.  During  this  last-mentioned  period,  the 
coping  will  prove  of  the  greatest  advantage  in  keeping 
the  fruit  dry,  for  it  may  be  remarked,  that  as  soon  as 
grapes  begin  to  make  their  last  swell,  which  is  indica- 
ted by^  :heir  becoming  transparent,  not  a  drop  of  rain 


70  QN   THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  WALLS. 

should  ever  be  suffered  to  fall  upon  them,  if  it  can  pos- 
sibly be  avoided.  All  the  moisture  which  they  stand 
in  need  of  they  will  freely  imbibe  from  the  atmos- 
phere. 

In  concluding  these  observations  on  the  construction 
of  walls,  it  must  be  further  observed,  that,  in  addition  to 
the  surface  of  a  vine  wall  being  as  smooth  as  possible, 
it  ought,  also,  to  be  a  true  perpendicular,  and  the  wall 
itself  to  run  in  a  straight  line.  These  qualities  are 
necessary  to  ensure  an  equal  distribution  of  solar  heat 
on  its  surface,  and  also  an  exemption  from  the  increased 
action  of  violent  winds,  which  is  sure  to  be  generated 
in  some  way  or  other,  if  the  wall  be  built  otherwise 
than  in  a  straight  line. 


ON  THE  PKOPAGATION  OP  VINES.         71 


CHAPTER   VIII. 


ON    THE    PROPAGATION    OF    VINES. 

VINES  are  propagated  in  the  open  ground,  by  layers, 
and  by  cuttings. 

By  layers.  This  is  the  most  expeditious  method  of 
raising  vines,  provided  the  shoots  be  laid  down  in  pots 
and  planted  out  the  same  summer.  But  vines  raised 
from  shoots  laid  down  in  the  open  ground,  seldom  ri- 
pen their  roots  well,  and  are,  therefore,  inferior  to 
those  raised  from  cuttings.  There  is  also  another  ob- 
jection to  this  mode  of  propagating  vines.  No  shoots 
of  a  well-established  vine  can  be  laid  down  in  a  border, 
without  the  roots  growing  amongst  those  of  the  parent 
vine.  When  the  proper  season  arrives  for  the  remov- 
al of  the  young  plant,  the  ground  requires  to  be  digged 
to  the  depth  of  eighteen  inches,  in  order  to  take 
up  its  roots  as  entire  as  possible.  Now,  a  vine  border 
cannot  be  digged  to  this  depth,  nor  indeed  anything 
like  it,  without  very  greatly  injuring  the  roots  of  the 
parent  vine.  For  this  reason,  therefore,  and  on  ac- 
count of  the  roots  of  young  plants,  so  raised,  frequently 
dying  off  to  a  considerable  extent  in  the  ensuing  win- 
ter, through  not  being  sufficiently  ripened,  the  raising 
of  vines  by  layers  in  the  open  ground  may  be  regarded 
as  an  inferior  method  of  propagation. 

To  raise  vines  by  laying  down  the  shoots  in  pots,  to 
be  planted  out  in  the  current  summer,  the  following 
directions,  if  observed,  will  ensure  success.  For  each 
layer  procure  a  pot  of  the  size  of  No.  24,  and  prepare 


72  ON  THE    PROPAGATION  OF  VINES. 

some  rich  mould,  which  must  be  sifted  very  fine.  Put 
a  large  piece  of  potsherd,  or  a  good-sized  oyster  shell, 
over  the  hole  at  the  bottom  ;  fill  the  pot  about  two- 
thirds  full  with  the  mould,  and  sink  it  three  inches  be- 
low the  surface  of  the  soil.  Then  take  the  shoot,  the 
four  last  buds  of  which  will  be  required  to  form  the 
layer,  and  cut  the  fourth  bud  cleanly  and  smoothly  out, 
so  that  no  shoot  can  afterwards  push  from  it.  Bend 
the  shoot  carefully  down,  in  such  a  manner  that  the 
second  and  third  buds  shall  be  at  least  three  inches  be- 
low the  surface  of  the  mould  when  filled  in,  and  the 
first  bud  even  with  it,  or,  rather,  just  peeping  out  of 
the  mould.  Secure  the  shoot  firmly  in  this  position, 
so  that  its  own  force  will  not  raise  it  up.  then  fill  the 
pot  up  with  mould  to  within  half  an  inch  of  the  top, 
which  space  must  be  left  for  the  purpose  of  holding 
liquid  manure.  If  the  mould  settle  down  afterwards, 
and  leave  a  greater  space  than  this,  more  must  be  add- 
ed to  make  good  the  deficiency.  Shoots  may  be  thus 
laid  down  any  time  from  the  fall  of  the  leaf  to  the  mid- 
dle of  March.  The  latter  period  will  be  quite  early 
enough,  as  no  roots  will  be  made  before  the  latter  end 
of  June,  or  the  beginning  of  July.  After  the  first  of 
April,  the  mould  in  the  pot  must  be  constantly  kept  moist, 
for  which  purpose  supply  it  as  often  as  necessary  with 
soap-suds  or  the  dramings  of  a  dung-heap.  The  layer 
must  be  separated  from  the  parent  vine  sometime  be- 
tween the  twentieth  of  August  and  the  first  of  Sep- 
tember, and  planted  out  immediately,  with  the  ball  of 
earth  entire,  in  the  situation  in  which  it  is  intended  to 
remain.  Supply  it  plentifully  with  liquid  manure  of 
the  above-mentioned  description,  throughout  the  re- 
mainder of  the  season  till  the  fall  of  the  leaf.  It  is 
not  necessary  to  ring,  twist,  cut,  or  p:erce  the  layer,  be- 
fore bending  it  down  in  the  pot ;  keeping  the  mould  con- 
stantly moist  with  liquid  manure,  will  excite  it  to  root 


ON  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  VINES.  73 

very  freely  without  any  such  operation.  If  the  fore- 
going directions  be  followed,  the  roots  will  be  four  feet 
long  before  the  winter  sets  in. 

It  is  necessary,  however,  to  state  distinctly,  that  the 
success  of  the  operation  depends  entirely  on  keeping 
the  mould  in  the  pot  continually  moist,  on  separating  the 
layer  from  the  parent  vine  at  the  time  above-mentioned^ 
on  immediately  planting  it  in  the  spot  where  it  is  to  re- 
main, and  in  keeping  it  well  supplied  with  liquid  ma- 
nure throughout  the  remaining  part  of  the  season.  If 
the  layer  were  suffered  to  maintain  its  union  with  the 
parent  vine  throughout  the  autumn,  the  roots  would 
nearly  all  die  away,  in  consequence  of  their  not  having 
attained  to  a  sufficient  degree  of  maturity  to  support 
thoir  own  vitality.  If  the  terminal  bud,  when  it  bursts, 
should  show  fruit,  the  latter  must  be  pinched  off  im- 
mediately ;  and  as  the  shoot  advances  in  growth,  it 
must,  as  often  as  necessary,  be  tied  to  a  stake,  or,  what 
will  be  much  better,  trained  against  the  wall.  The 
tendrils  should  be  cut  off  as  soon  as  they  are  about 
four  inches  long,  and  the  lateral  or  side  shoots  kept 
pinched  back  to  one  eye.  At  the  end  of  the  season, 
as  soon  as  the  leaves  are  shed,  the  plant  must  be  cut 
down  to  the  two  lower- most  buds.  It  may  be  remark- 
ed, that  by  laying  shoots  in  this  manner,  fine  grapes 
may  be  grown  in  pots  for  the  purpose  of  being  cut 
from  the  parent  vine  when  the  fruit  is  ripe,  and  pro- 
duced  at  table  as  living  plants  in  full  bearing.  .  t 

By  cuttings.  This  is  the  best  method  propagating 
vines  in  the  open  ground,  when  tLe  plants  are  either 
to  be  raised  in  the  situation  where  they  are  finally  to 
remain,  or  to  be  transplanted  in  the  ensuing  winter,  or 
at  any  subsequent  period.  To  provide  cuttings  to  be 
planted  at  the  proper  season,  select  at  the  autumnal 
pruning-  a  sufficient  number  of  shoots  of  the  preced- 
ing summer's  growth.  Choose  such  as  are  well-ripen- 
G 


74         ON  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  VINES. 

ed,  of  a  medium  size,  and  moderately  short-jointed. 
Cut  them  into  convenient  lengths  of  six  or  eight  buds 
each,  leaving  at  the  ends  not  less  than  a  couple  of 
inches  of  the  blank  wood  for  the  protection  of  the 
terminal  buds.  Stick  these  temporary  cuttings  about 
nine  inches  in  the  ground,  in  a  warm  and  sheltered  sit- 
uation, where  they  will  be  effectually  protected  from 
the  severity  of  the  winter.  The  best  time  to  plant  them 
out  is  about  the  middle  of  March,  but  any  time  from 
the  first  of  that  month  to  the  tenth  of  April  will  do 
very  well.  When  this  period  arrives,  if  the  young  vines 
about  to  be  raised  are  afterwards  to  be  transplanted, 
choose  such  a  situation  for  the  planting  of  the  cuttings, 
as  is  well  sheltered  from  the  wind,  and  not  too  much 
exposed  to  the  sun.  More  than  six  hours'  sunshine  in 
any  day  will  be  injurious  rather  than  beneficial,  and 
with  respect  to  the  wind,  if  the  cuttings  be  not  pro- 
tected from  its  injurious  effects,  they  will  scarcely 
strike  at  all,  even  in  the  very  best  prepared  soil.  A 
moderate  portion  of  sunshine,  and  effectual  shelter 
from  the  wind,  are  absolutely  necessary  to  ensure  the 
growth  of  the  cuttings.  Previously  to  planting  them, 
the  soil  must  be  well  prepared  for  their  reception,  by 
being  digged  to  the  depth  of  eighteen  inches,  and  the 
earth  made  very  fine.  If  it  be  in  any  degree  stiff  or 
heavy,  take  two-thirds  of  it  entirely  away,  and  supply 
its  place  with  light  rich  mould,  or  road  scrapings.  For 
every  cutting,  add  half  a  spit  of  well-rotted  dung  from 
an  old  cucumber  bed,  and  mix  the  whole  well  together, 
making  it  as  fine  as  possible.  This  being  done,  prepare 
the  cuttings  in  the  following  manner.  Cut  the  shoots 
into  lengths  containing  two  buds  each,  and  let  the 
uppermost  buds  have  an  inch  of  the  blank  wood  re- 
maining beyond  them.  The  extremities  of  these  must 
be  cut  in  a  slanting  manner,  and  the  slant  sides  be  op- 
posite to  the  buds.  Take  the  other  ends  of  the  cuttings 


ON  THE  PROPAGATION  OP  VINES.  75 

that  are  to  be  inserted  in  the  ground,  and  cut  them  trans- 
versely JMS/  below  the  buds,  and  the  cuttings  will  be  com- 
plete.  The  priming-knife  should  be  very  sharp,  so 
that  the  cuts  at  the  ends  may  be  perfectly  smooth.  The 
length  of  each  cutting  betwixt  the  two  buds  should 
not  be  less  thanybwr,  nor  more  than  six  inches,  in  or- 
der that  the  bottom  buds  may  be  at  such  a  distance 
from  the  surface  of  the  soil  as  will  best  promote  their 
vegetation. 

The  cuttings  being  thus  prepared,  must  be  planted 
immediately,  for  which  purpose  make  holes  in  the 
ground  (about  a  foot  apart  each  way,  if  the  plants  when 
raised  are  to  be  subsequently  transplanted)  with  a  stick 
about  the  size  of  the  cuttings,  and  insert  the  latter,  so 
that  the  uppermost  buds  shall  be  just  even  with  the 
surface  of  the  ground.  Press  the  mould  close  round 
each  cutting,  in  order  to  prevent  the  sun  and  air  dry- 
ing up  its  juices.  If  the  mould  should  subsequently 
sink  down,  and  leave  the  buds  above  the  surface,  more 
must  be  added  to  keep  them  even  with  it.  After  the 
first  of  May,  care  must  be  taken  to  keep  the  soil  round 
the  cuttings  constantly  moist.  For  this  purpose,  sup- 
ply each  cutting  as  often  as  required,  according  to  the 
state  of  the  weather,  with  about  a  pint  of  soapsuds,  and 
continue  so  to  do,  until  it  has  formed  a  communication 
with  the  soil,  which  will  soon  be  rendered  apparent  by 
the  protrusion  of  a  shoot,  and  its  daily  elongation. 
When  the  bud  bursts,  the  process  of  evaporation  com- 
mences, and  if  the  moisture  in  the  cutting  be  consumed 
quicker  than  the  latter  can  absorb  it  from  the  soil,  the 
young  loaves  turn  yellow  and  die,  and  the  vitality  of 
the  cutting  will  be  in  danger  of  being  destroyed.*  It 

*  If  the  first  shoot  that  pushes  from  the  cutting  should  die  off, 
which  at  times  it  will  do,  even  after  it  has  grown  five  or  six  inches 
in  length  the  cutting  must  not  on  that  account  be  taken  up,  be- 
cause another  shoot  produced  from  the  bottom  bud,  will,  most 


76         ON  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  VINES. 

is  indispensable,  therefore,  that  the  soil  round  each 
cutting  should  be  constantly  kept  moist,  in  order  that 
the  latter  may  absorb  sufficient  nourishment  to  supply 
the  bud  with  food,  until,  by  the  emission  of  roots,  it  has 
established  a  communication  with  the  soil,  and  is  there- 
by enabled  to  feed  itself.  As  soon  as  the  cuttings  have 
protruded  shoots  about  three  inches  long,  and  their 
leaves  have  a  healthy  appearance,  watering  may  cease 
for  a  time;  but  throughout  the  summer,  when  the  weath- 
er is  dry,  the  young  plants  should  be  assisted  in  their 
frowth  by  the  moderate  application  of  liquid  manure, 
oap-suds  are  the  best  for  this  purpose,  but  dung-water 
will  do  very  well,  provided  it  be  not  loo  powerful.  The 
surface  of  the  soil  round  the  cuttings  should  never  be 
allowed  to  cake  or  get  hard,  but  should  be  kept  open, 
and  in  a  fresh  and  finely-pulverised  state,  by  being,  as 
often  as  necessary,  forked  lightly  up.  As  the  shoots 
advance  in  growth,  they  must  be  constantly  kept  staked, 
or  nailed  to  the  wall ;  and  their  tendrils  and  lateral 
shoots  managed  throughout  the  summer  in  the  same 
manner  as  those  of  the  layers.  At  the  fall  of  the  leaf, 
cut  every  plant  down  to  the  two  lowermost  buds. 

probably,  push  through  the  socket  of  the  decayed  one  about  the 
middle  of  the  summer,  or,  as  soon  as  the  bottom  bud  becomes  suf- 
ficiently warmed  by  the  sun  to  emit  roots,  and  thereby  form  a 
communication  with  the  soil. 


ON  THE  PRUNING  OF  VINES.  77 


CHAPTER  IX. 

ON    THE    PRUNING    OF    VINES. 

PRUNING  and  TRAINING  are  so  closely  connected  to- 
gether, and  so  mutually  dependent  on  each  other,  that 
they  almost  constitute  one  operation.  In  pruning  a  vine, 
regard  must  be  had  to  the  manner  in  which  it  is  after- 
wards to  be  trained  ;  and  in  training  it,  the  position 
of  the  branches  must,  in  a  great  measure,  be  regulated 
by  the  mode  in  which  it  has  previously  been  pruned. 
Nevertheless,  the  two  operations  are  sufficiently  distinct 
to  be  treated  of  separately,  although  many  observations 
that  will  be  made  will  relate  as  much  to  the  one  as  to 
the  other. 

The  chief  object  in  pruning  a  vine  is  to  increase  its 
fertility  ;  which  is  effected  by  cutting  out  the  supera- 
bundant wood  which  it  annually  produces,  and  adjusting 
the  number  and  length  of  the  branches  that  are  to  re- 
main, to  the  capacity  of  the  plant  for  the  maturation  of 
its  next  crop  of  fruit,  and  for  the  production  of  future 
bearing-wood.  The  necessity  for  this  operation  will 
appear  evident  when  it  is  considered,  first,  that  the 
shoots  of  a  vine  which  bear  fruit  one  year,  never  bear 
any  afterwards  ;  —  secondly,  that  those  parts  of  the 
shoots  that  grow  in  the  latter  part  of  the  summer,  are 
not  sufficiently  ripened  to  produce  fruit ;  —  thirdly, 
that  a  great  number  of  shoots,  including  those  that  push 
from  the  bases  of  the  buds,  and  which  are  thence  called 
lateral  or  side  shoots,  are  too  small,  and  otherwise  unfit 
to  produce  fruit ;  —  and  fourthly,  that  a  vine  in  vigor- 
o* 


78  ON  THE  PRUNING  OF  VINES. 

ous  growth  and  under  judicious  management,  will  annu- 
ally produce  a  much  greater  number  of  buds,  that 
would  bear  fruit  in  the  following  year,  if  retained,  than 
it  can  possibly  bring  to  perfection.  To  get  rid,  there- 
fore, of  all  this  useless  and  superabundant  wood,  the 
operation  of  pruning  must  be  resorted  to ;  and  as  the 
excess  is  very  great,  the  pruning-knife  must  be  exer- 
cised in  a  correspondingly  severe  manner,  in  order  to 
restore  the  balance  betwixt  the  roots  and  the  branches. 
From  these  considerations  it  follows,  that  the  judicious 
pruning  of  a  vine  is  one  of  the  most  important  points 
of  culture  throughout  the  whole  routine  of  its  manage- 
ment. 

There  are  three  methods  of  pruning  vines  in  practice 
among  gardeners  ;  namely,  long  pruning,  spur-pruning, 
and  the  fan  or  fruit-tree  method.  The  first  mentioned 
is  that  which  will  hereafter  be  shewn  to  be  the  most 
eligible  method  of  pruning  a  vine,  which,  with  respect 
to  this  point  of  culture,  requires  to  be  treated  very  dif- 
ferently to  every  other  description  of  fruit-tree  cultiva- 
ted in  this  country.  Many  elaborate  directions  on  this 
subject  have  been  given  by  writers  on  gardening,  but 
these  being,  in  general,  based  upon  no  definite  principle, 
cannot  with  any  degree  of  certainty  be  reduced  to 
practice.  The  truth  is,  that,  although  the  fertility  of 
a  vine  depends  in  a  great  measure  on  the  manner  in 
which  it  is  pruned  from  time  to  time,  and  that,  for  va- 
rious reasons,  the  operation  may  be  supposed  by  those 
who  are  unacquainted  with  the  nature  of  the  plant,  to 
be  intricate,  and  to  require  a  considerable  portion  of 
skill,  yet  the  contrary  is  the  fact ;  for,  if  the  principle 
on  which  it  is  to  be  performed  be  carefully  kept  in  view, 
the  whole  art  of  pruning  a  vine  lies  in  a  nut-shell. 

In  order  to  render  this  art  as  clear  as  possible,  the 
reasons  on  which  it  is  founded  require  to  be  distinctly 
shewn.  For  this  purpose  it  is  necessary  to  make  an 


ON  THE  PRUNING    OF  VINES.  79 

important  preliminary  remark,  namely  :  that  the  old 
wood  of  a  vine,  or  that  which  has  previously  bore  fruit, 
is  not  only  of  no  further  use  at  any  subsequent  period, 
but  is  a  positive  injury  to  the  fertility  of  the  plant.  The 
truth  of  this  remark  depends  on  the  fact,  that  every 
branch  of  a  vine  that  produces  no  foliage,  appropriates 
for  its  own  support  a  portion  of  the  juices  of  the  plant 
that  is  generated  by  those  branches  that  do  produce  fo- 
liage. To  prove  this  fact,  and  to  make  it  as  clear  as 
possible,  it  will  be  necessary  to  describe,  briefly,  and  in 
part,  the  process  by  which  the  life  of  a  vine  is  sustained, 
and  its  parts  annually  nourished. 

The  first  movement  of  the  sap  in  the  spring  takes 
place  in  the  branches,  and  lastly  in  the  roots.  The 
buds,  in  consequence  of  the  increasing  temperature  of 
the  air,  first  swell,  and  attract  the  sap  in  their  vicinity. 
This  fluid  having  lain  dormant,  or  nearly  so,  throughout 
the  preceding  winter,  becomes  gradually  expanded  by 
the  influence  of  the  solar  rays,  and  supplies  the  buds 
with  nourishment  from  the  parts  immediately  below 
them.  The  vessels  which  yield  this  supply,  becom- 
ing in  consequence  exhausted,  are  quickly  filled  by 
fluid  from  the  parts  below  them,  and  in  this  manner  the 
motion  continues  until  it  reaches  the  roots,  the  grand 
reservoir  of  the  sap  ;  by  which  time  the  solar  heat  hav- 
ing penetrated  the  soil,  the  roots  begin  to  feel  its  enli- 
vening influence.  The  whole  body  of  sap  then  begins 
to  move  upwards,  and  as  soon  as  the  quantity  propelled  is 
more  than  sufficient  to  distend  all  the  vessels  in  the  stem 
and  the  branches,  the  buds  begin  to  elongate  and  unfold. 
This  takes  place  in  general  about  the  vernal  equinox. 
From  this  time  the  fluid  becoming  more  expanded  eve- 
ry hour,  its  ascent  is  simultaneously  increased  in  force 
and  velocity.  The  vessels  in  the  branches  being  filled 
to  repletion,  the  buds  quickly  open,  and  shoots  and 
leaves  rupidly  protrude.  The  beginning  of  May  ar- 


80  ON   THE  PRUNING  OF  VINES. 

rives,  and  by  that  time  the  sap  being  in  full  motion, 
all  is  life,  vigour,  and  activity,  from  one  extremity  of 
the  vine  to  the  other. 

The  leaves  attract  the  sap  as  soon  as  it  reaches  their 
vicinity,  and  by  one  of  the  most  wonderful  processes 
that  can  be  conceived,  the  result  of  exquisite  organisa- 
tion, elaborate  and  prepare  it,  and  render  it  fit  for  the 
nourishment  of  all  the  parts  of  the  plant.  The  sap,  after 
being  thus  prepared,  is  called  the  proper  juice  of  the 
plant.  It  then  returns  downwards  betwixt  the  bark 
and  the  alburnum,  and  in  its  descent  is  distributed  lat- 
erally to  every  part  of  the  plant,  until  it  finally  reaches 
the  extremities  of  the  roots.  During  its  descent,  a 
considerable  portion  of  it  is  expended  in  the  formation 
of  a  concentric  layer  of  woody  substance  betwixt  the 
bark  and  the  wood,  on  every  branch,  and  also  on  the 
stem,  which  layer  becomes  the  new  alburnum. 

Now,  it  is  of  importance  to  remember,  that  every 
branch  annually  requires  this  new  concentric  layer  ; — 
that  this  layer  is  formed  from  the  proper  juice  prepared 
in  the  leaves  ; — and  that  the  thickness  or  thinness  of 
this  layer  depends  on  the  proportion  which  the  quantity 
of  proper  juice,  so  prepared,  bears  to  the  number,  length, 
and  size  of  the  branches,  which  it  has  in  its  descent  to 
cover  and  feed. 

If,  therefore,  the  foliage  of  a  vine  be  strong  and  vig- 
orous in  its  growth,  and  there  be  no  naked  branches  be- 
twixt the  stem  and  the  shoots  which  produce  the  foli- 
age, then  the  proper  juice  in  its  descent  will  deposit 
on  the  stem  a  thick  layer,  and  will  also  descend  into 
the  roots  in  great  quantity.  But  if  there  be  a  great 
number  of  naked  branches  which  the  proper  juice  in  its 
descent  has  to  clothe  and  nourish,  then,  having  to  spread 
itself  over  a  much  greater  surface,  the  new  layer  will 
be  comparatively  a  thin  one,  and  the  surplus  left  to  en- 
ter the  roots,  proportionately  lessened  in  quantity.  And, 


ON  THE  PRUNING  OF  VINES.  81 

further,  if  the  foliage  be  weak,  which  is  invariably  indi- 
cated by  the  shoots  and  leaves  being  small  in  size,  and 
sickly  in  appearance,  and  the  vine  contain  many  naked 
branches,  then  the  quantity  of  proper  juice  prepared  in 
the  leaves  will  be  so  small,  in  proportion  to  the  demands 
which  in  its  descent  will  be  made  upon  it,  that  a  new 
layer  will  with  difficulty  be  formed  at  all,  while  but  a 
very  small  portion  of  the  proper  juice  will  be  left  to  de- 
scend into  the  roots. 

Again,  the  formation  of  this  concentric  layer  being 
continued  from  the  stem  downwards  on  all  the  roots, 
the  latter  become  increased  in  their  solid  diameter,  in 
direct  proportion  to  the  quantity  of  the  proper  juice 
which  they  thus  receive.  Whatever,  therefore,  con- 
tributes to  diminish  this  quantity  of  proper  juice,  pre- 
vents in  a  proportionate  degree  the  growth  of  the  roots  ; 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  whatever  causes  an  increase 
of  it,  produces  effects  precisely  opposite.  Further,  there 
is  no  reason  to  believe  that  the  naked  branches  of  a  vine, 
especially  such  as  are  more  than  two  or  three  years  old, 
are  in  any  way  instrumental  in  increasing  the  volumo 
of  sap  in  its  ascent ;  the  processes  of  transpiration  and 
absorption  which  they  carry  on,  being  limited  in  their 
effects  to  the  preservation  of  their  own  vitality. 

From  the  foregoing  observations,  therefore,  it  appears 
that  every  naked  branch  of  a  vine,  or  one  that  does  not 
directly  produce  foliage,  diminishes  the  capacity  of  the 
plant  for  the  production  of  young  bearing  shoots,  inas- 
much as  it  contributes  nothing  to  the  growth  of  the  vine, 
but,  on  the  contrary,  requires  to  be  fed  annually  with  a 
certain  portion  of  the  elaborated  juice  of  the  plant,  which 
would  otherwise  be  expended  in  the  enlargement  of  the 
diameter  of  its  stem,  and  thereby  the  increase  of  its  ca- 
pacity to  mature  fruit ;  and  in  the  extension  and  multipli- 
cation of  its  roots.  Naked  branches,therefore,  are  consu- 
mers but  not  producers  ;  or  in  other  words,  drones  in  the 

j*  os  ma 


82  ON  THE  PRUNING  OF  VINES. 

hive.  If  the  vine  were  cultivated  for  the  sake  of  its 
wood,  the  case  would  be  different.  The  growth  and 
extension  of  large  branches,  and  the  increase  of  their 
diameters,  would  then  be  the  legitimate  object  in  view  ; 
but  when  fruit  only  is  sought,  and  the  operation  of 
pruning  resorted  to,  in  order  to  obtain  the  largest  quan- 
tity within  the  smallest  possible  extent  of  a  given  surface 
of  walling,  it  is  obvious  that  no  description  of  wood 
should  be  suffered  to  remain  in  a  vine  but  such  as  di- 
rectly contributes  in  some  way  or  other  to  the  produc- 
tion of  fruit. 

It  follows,  therefore,  that  as  the  sole  object  in  view 
in  pruning  a  vine,  is  to  increase  its  fertility,  the  best 
method  to  accomplish  this  must  be  that  which  leaves  a 
sufficient  supply  of  bearing -shoots  on  the  least  possible 
proportionate  quantity  of  old  wood. 

It  will  be  necessary  now  to  examine,  which  of  the 
three  methods  of  pruning  before-mentioned  agree 
best  with  the  principle  here  laid  down.  First,  there- 
fore, of 

The  Fan  Method.  Vines  pruned  according  to  this 
method  have  their  branches  trained  in  from  their  stems 
in  a  similar  manner  to  the  spokes  of  a  fan.  To  this 
method  there  are  several  objections,  the  two  principal 
of  which  a,re,jirst,  the  shoots  in  the  vicinity  of  the  stem 
are  too  near  each  other  to  admit  of  either  the  wood 
or  fruit  being  properly  matured,  and  too  far  distant 
from  each  other  at  their  extremities  to  allow  of  the 
fruit  being  judiciously  shaded  and  protected  by  the  fo- 
liage of  the  adjacent  shoots.  And,  secondly,  a  vine 
pruned  to  be  trained  in  this  manner,  must  of  necessity 
possess  several  branches  radiating  as  it  were  from  a 
common  centre.  These  branches  cannot  conveniently 
be  trained  otherwise  than  in  straight  lines,  and  betwixt 
a  horizontal  and  a  vertical  position,  which  is  the  most 
objectionable  position  that  the  fruiting  shoots  of  a  vine 


ON  THE  PRUNING  OF  VINES.  83 

can  occupy,  because  the  ascent  of  the  sap  is  thereby 
facilitated  ;  in  consequence  of  which  all  the  lowermost 
buds  break  very  weakly,  and  some  not  at  all,  while  the 
sap  flies  with  such  force  to  the  extremities,  that  scarcely 
any  good  bearing-shoots  can  be  made  to  grow  from  the 
vicinity  of  the  stem.  This  necessarily  causes  the 
retention  of  old  naked  wood  at  the  autumnal  pruning, 
and  this  annually  increasing  in  distance  from  the  stem, 
no  species  of  pruning  will  prevent  it  occupying  in  a 
short  time  a  disproportionate  extent  of  the  surface  of 
the  wall,  and  causing  all  the  fruit  to  be  borne  at  the 
extremities  of  the  branches.  Other  objections  might 
be  urged,  but  the  foregoing  sufficiently  show,  that, 
without  very  disadvantageous  results,  vines  cannot  be 
pruned  to  be  trained  in  the  fruit-tree  method. 

Spur  Pruning.  This  is  the  usual  method  adopted 
throughout  the  country  in  the  pruning  of  vines,  but 
although  almost  universally  practised,  it  is  calculated 
in  a  high  degree  to  create  a  large  scaffolding  or  su- 
perstructure of  old  naked  wood.  A  spur  may  be 
defined  to  be  a  shoot,  shortened  so  as  to  contain  not 
more  than  four  buds.  If  a  shoot  contain  five  buds,  it 
cannot  with  propriety  be  called  a  spur.  Spur  pruning, 
therefore,  is  the  annual  shortening  of  the  fruit-bearing 
shoots  of  a  vine,  so  that  each  shall  contain  not  more 
than  four  buds.  This  being  premised,  it  will  be  neces- 
sary to  point  out  in  as  distinct  a  manner  as  possible  the 
disadvantages  attending  this  method  of  pruning  a 
vine. 

First,  every  shoot  that  is  sufficiently  large  to  bear 
fruit,  emitted  by  an  established  vine,  if  it  be  trainad 
at  full  length  throughout  the  summer,  in  the  manner 
hereafter  mentioned  in  the  chapter  on  training,  will 
produce,  at  least,  twenty  good  well-ripened  fruit-buds, 
and  each  of  these,  in  the  following  year,  will  produce 
on  an  average  two  bunches  of  grapes,  so  that  a  shoot 


84  ON  THE  PRUNING  OF  VINES. 

of  this  description  will  bear  forty  bunches.  Now,  if  a 
shoot  be  shortened  to  three  buds,  which  is  the  number 
that  spurs  on  an  average  usually  contain,  two  of  these 
will  be  almost  useless,  being  but  imperfectly  formed, 
and  therefore  seldom  producing  fruit.  Only  the  upper- 
most bud  can  be  depended  upon  to  show  fruit,  and, 
consequently,  in  order  to  ensure  the  production  of  as 
many  bunches  of  fruit  as  the  single  shoot  will  bear, 
not  less  than  twenty  spurs  must  be  provided.  This  is 
the  parent  of  many  evils.  First,  these  spurs  if  joined 
together  would  be  nearly  three  times  the  length  of  the 
single  shoot ;  the  surface  of  the  wall,  therefore,  which 
they  occupy,  will  yield  only  one-third  of  the  quantity 
of  fruit  produced  from  that  on  which  the  single  shoot 
is  trained.  Secondly,  the  latter  can  be  nailed  to  the 
wall  withjive  nails,  whereas,  the  twenty  spurs  will  re- 
quire twenty  nails,  and  as  many  holes  will  be  made  in 
the  joints  of  the  wall  by  driving  them  in.  This  evil  is 
not  a  light  one.  Moreover,  a  fourfold  degree  of  trouble 
and  time  will  be  required  to  nail  and  unnail  these  spurs, 
beyond  that  necessary  for  the  single  shoot.  Thirdly, 
the  fruit  produced  from  the  latter  will  be  far  superior 
both  in  size  and  flavour,  to  that  borne  by  the  spurs, 
for  this  reason  : — the  best  grapes  are  uniformly  pro- 
duced from  the  fullest-sized  and  best-ripened  buds, 
and  these  are  generated  on  the  shoots,  from  the  begin- 
ning of  May  to  the  middle  of  July,  and  in  moderately 
vigorous  vines,  range  in  order  on  each  shoot,  from  the 
fourth  bud  to  about  the  twentieth  ;  but  if  a  vine  be 
well  established  and  very  vigorous  in  its  growth,  it  will, 
under  a  judicious  system  of  pruning,  produce,  on  a 
single  shoot,  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  buds  within  that 
space  of  time.  If  a  shoot  be  spurred,  therefore,  to 
three  buds,  it  will  contain  none,  and  ifto^fowr,  only  one 
of  these  well-ripened  buds,  all  the  rest  will  have  been 
cut  off  in  the  pruning ;  or,  what  is  tantamount  to  it, 


ON  TIIE  PRUNING  OF  VINES.  85 

the  shoots  will  have  been  pinched  back  in  the  early  part 
of  the  summer,  just  as  the  vine  was  entering  its  most 
vigorous  state  of  vegetation,  and  about  to  generate  tho 
very  best  description  of  fruit-buds. 

Secondly,  the  cutting  down  of  the  single  shoot  in 
autumn  to  one  or  two  buds,  in  order  that  it  may  pro- 
duce  in  the  next  summer,  a  strong  and  vigorous  shoot 
to  be  reserved  as  a  fruit-bearer,  occasions  to  the  vine 
only  one  wound,  but  the  pruning  of  the  three  shoots, 
that  have  pushed  from  each  of  the  spurs,  will  occasion 
sixty  wounds.  This  is  another  most  serious  evil,  for 
though  a  vine  from  its  inherent  nature  commands  an 
immense  volume  of  sap,  and  can,  therefore,  easily 
overcome  a  wound  here  and  there  inflicted  by  the 
pruning  knife,  it  does  not  follow  that  it  can  overcome 
these  wounds  when  they  are  multiplied  by  scores,  and 
even  by  hundreds,  without  making  such  extraordinary 
efforts  as  would  materially  compromise  its  vital  ener- 
gies. The  fact  is,  that  the  immense  number  of  wounds 
caused  by  spur  pruning,  are  highly  injurious  to  the 
health  of  a  vine. 

If  any  doubt  be  entertained  on  this  point,  let  a  shoot 
that  has  been  spurred  five  or  six  years  successively  be 
taken,  and  slit  open  lengthways,  and  it  will  be  seen 
distinctly,  that  the  union  which  has  annually  taken 
place  betwixt  the  older  and  younger  wood,  has  not  been 
effected  without  a  considerable  effort  on  the  part  of 
the  vine.  At  the  points  of  union  the  sap  vessels  will  be 
all  crippled,  and  in  some  instances  the  wood  will  be 
found  to  have  died  back  nearly  to  the  centre  of  the 
shoot ;  and  the  sap  being  thus  intercepted  at  so  many 
points  in  its  ascent,  flows  through  the  parent  limb  to 
the  extreme  horizontal  shoots,  thereby  generating  the 
most  vigorous  bearing-wood  at  a  great  distance  from 
the  stem  of  the  vine.  The  proper  juice  of  the  plant  is, 
also,  in  its  descent,  very  uselessly  expended  in  vainly 


86  ON  THE  PRUNING  or  VINES. 

endeavouring  to  cover  with  a  new  alburnum  these  nu- 
merous scars  made  by  the  pruning  knife,  around  the 
edges  of  which  it  accumulates  in  considerable  quan- 
tity. 

Moreover,  although  by  pruning  a  vine,  its  fertility 
is  increased,  its  existence  is  no  doubt  thereby  shortened. 
The  severing  of  a  healthy  branch  from  any  tree,  is, 
without  doubt,  doing  an  act  of  violence  to  it,  the  effects 
of  which  are  only  overcome  by  the  superior  strength  of 
the  vegetative  powers  of  its  roots.  By  annually  making 
many  scores  of  amputations  in  a  vine,  therefore,  the 
energies  of  the  roots  become  paralyzed,  and  the  efforts 
which  nature  is  compelled  to  make  for  self-preservation 
are  such  as  to  affect,  to  a  considerable  extent,  the 
vital  powers  of  the  plant. 

Thirdly,  by  adopting  the  spur  system  in  the  pruning 
of  a  vine,  the  old  branches  must  be  retained,  because  it 
is  on  these  that  the  spurs  are  formed.  These  branches 
being  annually  lengthened,  and  new  spurs  created  at 
their  extremities,  while  the  former  spurs  become  long- 
er  and  more  naked  every  year,  the  vine,  in  a  few  years, 
contains  an  immense  assemblage  of  old  naked  limbs, 
presenting  the  most  unsightly  appearance  imaginable, 
and  occupying  the  surface  of  the  wall  to  the  entire  ex- 
clusion of  young  bearing-shoots.  The  disadva  ntages 
of  retaining  old  wood  having  been  already  pointed  out, 
it  is  only  necessary  further  to  observe,  that  these  dis- 
advantages are  produced  to  the  greatest  possible  extent 
by  spur  pruning. 

For  the  foregoing  reasons,' therefore,  this  method  may 
be  considered  the  most  objectionable  that  can  be  adopt- 
ed in  the  pruning  of  vines  on  open  walls.  It  may, 
perhaps,  be  practised  with  success  on  vines  under  glass, 
and  also  in  warmer  climates,  because,  in  such  cases, 
the  sap  being  far  more  highly  elaborated,  will  produce 
fruit  from  the  buds  seated  at  the  bases  of  the  spurs. 


ON  THE  PKUMNG  OF   VINES.  87 

Such  spurs,  therefore,  need  not  be  more  than  from  half 
an  inch  to  an  inch  in  length,  and  they  may  with  ease 
be  retained  for  several  successive  years  without  be- 
coming  much  longer.  The  results  of  spur  pruning, 
under  such  circumstances,  are  very  different  from  those 
which  follow  that  method,  when  practised  on  vines 
trained  on  open  walls  in  this  country. 

Long  Pruning.  This  method  consists  in  obtaining 
all  the  fruit  of  a  vine  from  a  few  shoots,  trained  at  full 
length,  instead  of  from  a  great  number  of  spurs  or 
short  shoots.  To  provide  these  shoots,  the  former 
bearers  are  cut  down  to  very  short  spurs  at  the  autum- 
nal pruning,  and,  at  the  same  time,  a  sufficient  number 
of  shoots  are  left  at  whole  length  to  produce  fruit  in 
the  following  year  ;  at  the  succeeding  autumn  these 
latter  are  cut  down  to  very  short  spurs,  and  the  long 
shoote  that  have  pushed  from  the  spurs,  are  trained  at 
whole  length  as  before,  and  so  on  annually  in  alternate 
succession.  This  method  recommends  itself  by  its 
simplicity  ;  by  the  old  wood  of  the  vine  being  annually 
got  rid  of ;  by  the  small  number  of  wounds  inflicted 
in  the  pruning;  by  the  clean  and  handsome  appear- 
ance of  the  vine  ;  and  by  the  great  ease  with  which  it 
is  managed,  in  consequence  of  its  occupying  but  a 
small  portion  of  the  surface  of  the  wall.  These  char- 
acteristics of  long  pruning  are  sufficient  to  make  that 
method  superior  to  every  other.  As  the  details  of  it 
are  given  more  fully  in  the  two  following  chapters,  it 
is  not  necessary  to  describe  it  further  here.  Before 
entering  on  the  subject  of  Training,  a  few  general  rules 
may  be  advantageously  laid  down  for  the  guidance  of 
the  primer. 

1st.  In  pruning,    always  cut   upwards,    and    in  a 
sloping  direction. 

2d.  Always   leave  an  inch  of  blank  wood  beyond 


88  ON  THE  PRUNING  OF  VINES. 

the  terminal  bud,  and  let  the  cut  be  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  bud. 

3d.  Prune  so  as  to  leave  as  few  wounds  as  possible, 
and  let  the  surface  of  every  cut  be  perfectly  smooth. 

4th.  In  cutting  out  an  old  branch,  prune  it  even 
with  the  parent  limb,  that  the  wound  may  quickly 
heal. 

5th.  Prune  so  as  to  obtain  the  quantity  of  fruit  de- 
sired, on  the  smallest  number  of  snoots  possible. 

6th.  Never  prune  in  frosty  weather,  nor  when  a 
frost  is  expected. 

7th.  Never  prune  in  the  months  of  March,  April, 
or  May.  Pruning  in  either  of  these  months  causes 
bleeding,  and  occasions  thereby  a  wasteful  and  an 
injurious  expenditure  of  sap. 

8th.  Let  the  general  autumnal  pruning  take  place 
as  soon  after  the  first  of  October  as  the  gathering  of 
the  fruit  will  permit. 

Lastly,  use  a  pruning-knife  of  the  best  description, 
and  let  it  be,  if  possible,  as  sharp  as  a  razor. 


ON  THE  TRAINING  OF  VINES. 


89 


CHAPTER  X. 


ON  THE  TRAINING  OF  VINES. 


To  train  a  vine  on  the  surface  of  a  wall,  is  to  regu- 
late the  position  of  its  branches,  the  principal  objects 
of  which  are,  to  protect  them  from  the  influence  of  the 
wind  ;  to  bring  them  into  close  contact  with  the  wall, 
for  the  purpose  of  receiving  the  benefit  of  its  warmth  ; 
to  spread  them  at  proper  distances  from  each  other, 
that  the  foliage  and  fruit  may  receive  the  full  effect  of 
the  sun's  rays ;  and  to  retard  the  motion  of  the  sap, 
for  the  purpose  of  inducing  the  formation  of  fruit-buds. 


The  flow  of  sap,  it  must  be  remembered,  is  always 
strongest  in  a  vertical  direction,  and  weakest  in  a 
downward  one  ;  thus,  if  a  shoot  be  trained  in  the  di- 
fig,  1,  the  sap  will  ascend  with  the 


rection 


of  a, 

H* 


90' 


ON  THE  TRAINING  OF  VINES. 


greatest  degree  of  force  with  which  the  strength  of  the 
roots  can  propel  it ;  if  it  be  trained  in  the  direction  of 
&,  c,  or  d,  that  force  will  be  gradually  diminished,  as 
the  shoot  approaches  the  horizontal  position  of  d ;  nev- 
ertheless, the  difference  in  the  flow  of  the  sap  betwixt 
the  shoot  at  a,  and  that  at  d,  will  not  be  very  great. 
Immediately,  however,  the  horizontal  line  d  is  passed, 
and  the  shoot  depressed  below  it  in  the  direction  of  e, 
the  sap  receives  a  considerable  check,  and  the  shoots 
that  push  from  it  are  proportionately  weak.  If  trained 
in  the  direction  off,  they  will  be  weaker  still,  and  if 
directly  downwards,  as  at  g,  the  supply  of  sap  will  be 
barely  sufficient  to  mature  the  fruit.  And,  further,  if 
the  shoot,  instead  of  being  trained  in  a  straight  line,  be 
bent  in  a  crooked  or  serpentine  manner,  the  flow  of  the 
sap  will  be  additionally  retarded.  Thus,  if  it  be 
trained  in  a  serpentine  manner,  resembling  the  line  h, 
fig.  2,  the  sap  will  flow  slower  than  if  trained  in  a 


straight  line  ;  if  like  the  lines  i,  k,  Z,  successively  slow- 
er, the  degree  of  slowness  increasing  in  proportion  to 
the  number  of  bends  or  curves  which  the  shoot  is  made 
to  assume.  If,  therefore,  the  shoot  g,  fig.  1,  be  close- 
ly serpentined  in  the  manner  of  the  line  Z,  fig.  2,  the 


ON  THE  TRAINING  OP  VINES.  91 

sap  will  be  so  retarded,  that  many  of  the  buds  will  not 
burst  at  all. 

Now,  to  apply  to  a  practical  purpose  this  principle 
of  retarding  the  ascent  of  the  sap,  by  depressing  or 
serpentining  the  shoots  of  a  vine,  it  will  be  convenient 
to  treat  of  it  in  reference  to  winter  training  and  sum- 
mer  training. 


Winter  Training. — When  the  shoots  are  nailed  to  the 
wall  in  the  early  part  of  the  year,  those  which  are 
trained  at  full  length  as  fruit-bearers,  are,  in  all  cases, 
to  be  cut  down  to  the  lowermost  bud  or  two  at  the  next 
autumnal  pruning.  With  respect,  therefore,  to  all 
such  shoots,  no  greater  supply  of  sap  should  be  permit- 
ted to  flow  into  them,  than  is  necessary  to  mature  their 
fruit,  as  all  above  that  quantity  will  be  so  much  nour- 
ishment uselessly  expended,  and  taken,  indeed,  from 
the  young  shoots  that  are  to  be  produced  in  the  cur- 
rent year  for  future  bearers.  For  example,  if  the 
shoots  1,  2,  3,  4,  fig.  3,  were  trained  in  straight  lines, 
the  sap  would  ascend  with  such  force,  that  many  of 
the  lowermost  buds  would  scarcely  break  at  all,  the  sap 
passing  by  them,  and  accumulating  in  those  at  the  up- 
per part  of  the  shoots,  which  would  burst  with  great 
force,  and  form  very  strong  shoots  ;  these  would  rob  all 
the  fruit  on  those  below  of  its  due  share  of  nourishment, 
and  also  the  shoots  emitted  from  the  spurs  D  ;  which, 
to  form  good  bearing-wood,  require  as  great  a  supply 
as  the  fruiting-shoots.  It  is  true,  that,  by  pinching  off 
the  extremities  of  these  latter  ones  in  the  spring,  an  eye 
or  two  ^bove  the  last  bunch  of  fruit,  the  sap  will  be 
partially  kept  back,  but  the  ascending  current  having 


92 


ON  THE  TRAINING  OF  VINES. 

Fig.  3. 


set  in  very  strongly,  it  cannot  be  diverted  into  the  oth- 
er channels  in  which  it  is  required,  except  in  a  com- 
paratively trifling  degree.  But  if,  as  represented  in 
the  above  figure,  the  shoots  be  trained  in  a  serpentine 
manner  in  the  early  part  of  the  year,  before  the  sap 
is  in  motion,  it  will,  in  its  ascent,  be  thereby  made  to 
flow  more  equally  into  all  the  fruiting-shoots  that  push 
from  them,  and  also  into  those  which  will  be  emitted 
from  the  spurs  D,  for  future  bearers.  And  by  bending 
the  bottom  part  of  the  shoots  pretty  circularly  at  a,  the 
buds  will  there  burst  strongly,  and  thus  a  good  supply 
of  bearing-wood  will  be  obtained  close  to  the  arms  Z,  Z, 


ON  THE  TRAINING  OF  VINES.  93 

which  is  of  primary  importance  ;  for,  if,  by  injudicious 
pruning  or  training,  or  both  combined,  the  sap  have  an 
opportunity  of  exerting  its  full  force  at  a  distance  from 
the  arms,  it  is  sure  to  embrace  it,  and  the  consequence 
is,  that  blank  wood  begins  immediately  to  be  formed  in 
all  directions  near  the  stem,  and  when  that  is  the  case, 
no  method  of  pruning  will  ever  again  procure  a  supply  of 
bearing- wood  at  home,  short  of  that  of  cutting  the  vine 
down  to  a  perfect  stump.  In  training  the  shoots  1,  2, 
3,  4,  the  spaces  between  them  must  be  regulated  by  the 
number  of  shoots  intended  to  be  trained  up  from  the 
spurs  D.  Each  of  these  latter  will  require  Jive  inches 
of  clear  space  on  each  side  of  it,  and  the  former  nine, 
for  the  fruiting-shoots,  as  represented  by  the  dotted  lines 
e,y,  g,  h,  at  the  shoot  1.  These  shoots,  producing  on 
an  average  two  bunches  each,  are  to  be  topped  one  joint 
beyond  the  last  bunch,  as  directed  in  the  Calendarial 
Register,  June  10th.  (See  page  115.) 

For  the  foregoing  reasons,  therefore,  the  method  of 
serpentine  training  may  be  considered  preferable  to 
every  other,  being  calculated  in  a  greater  degree  to  check 
the  too  rapid  ascent  of  the  sap,  and  to  make  it  flow 
more  equally  into  the  fruiting-shoots,  and  those  intend- 
ed for  future  bearers.  On  walls  that  are  much  less  than 
five  feet  high,  a  portion  of  the  shoots  must  be  trained 
horizontally.  Let  fig.  4  (page  94)  represent  a  wall 
four  feet  high,  and  let  the  face  of  it  be  divided  into  equal 
parallel  portions  of  twelve  inches  in  height,  by  the  hori- 
zontal lines  1,  2,  3,  4  ;  then  on  each  side  of  the  stem, 
from  the  arms  A,  A,  may  be  trained  two  fruiting-shoots 
at  2,  and  4,  and  the  same  number  of  current  year's  shoots 
at  the  dotted  lines  above  1,  and  3.  And  in  like  manner, 
half  that  number  of  shoots  may  be  easily  trained  on  a  wall 
two  feet  high.  The  pruning,  in  these  cases,  will  be  pre- 
cisely the  same  as  if  the  shoots  were  trained  vertically 
as  in  fig.  3.  In  a  similar  manner,  also,  a  series  of 


94  ON  THE  TRAINING  OF  VINES. 


Fig.  4. 


vines  may  be  trained  on  a  high  wall,  allowing  to  each 
a  certain  parallel  space  in  a  horizontal  direction,  and 
running  the  stems  to  such  heights  as  the  arms  of  each 
vine  are  to  be  trained.  And  when  the  height  of  a 
wall  exceeds  eight  or  nine  feet,  this  method  may  be 
adopted  with  great  advantage  ;  for,  by  planting  the 
vines  sufficiently  close  to  each  other,  the  surface  of 
the  wall  may,  in  a  very  few  years,  be  completely  cov- 
ered with  fruit  and  bearing-wood. 

But  although  the  mode  of  training  represented  by 
figures  3  and  4,  may  be  considered  the  most  eligible 
in  all  cases  where  the  surface  of  a  wall  receives  the 
solar  rays  in  an  equal  degree,  yet,  as  it  will  frequently 
happen  that  some  parts  of  the  surface  of  a  wall,  are, 
from  local  causes,  either  wholly  or  partially  in  the 
shade,  while  the  other  parts  receive  the  full  force  of  the 
sun's  rays,  it  is  necessary  to  observe,  that  in  such  cases 
the  figures  above-mentioned  cannot  be  adhered  to  with- 
out inconvenience ;  the  mode  of  training,  therefore, 
must,  in  those  instances,  be  governed  entirely  by  local 
circumstances. 

It  must  be  remarked,  in  reference  to  the  winter 
training  of  the  shoots,  that  when  they  are  trained  in  a 
horizontal  manner,  there  is  not  that  necessity  for  ser- 
pentining them,  as  when  they  are  trained  vertically  ; 
unless  the  vegetation  of  the  vine  be  so  extremely  vig- 


ON  THE  TRAINING  OF  VINES.  95 

orous,  as  to  generate  wild  or  long-jointed  wood.  It 
may,  also,  be  further  mentioned,  that  every  shoot 
trained  in  a  serpentine  manner,  ought  to  be  wholly  cut 
down  at  the  next  autumnal  pruning  after  it  has  borne 
fruit,  as  the  further  retention  of  it  would  produce  great 
confusion  in  the  future  training  of  theshoots. 

Summer  Training. — In  order  that  the  principles  on 
which  this  important  point  of  culture  is  based,  may  be 
clearly  understood,  it  will  be  necessary  to  point  out, 
as  distinctly  as  possible,  the  circumstances  under  which 
bearing- wood  is  produced. 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind,  that  the  fruit  of  the 
vine  is  produced  on  shoots  of  the  preceding  year's 
growth,  or,  in  other  words,  the  grapes  that  are  grown 
in  the  present  year  1843,  are  produced  from  shoots 
grown  in  1842.  Now,  during  the  growth  of  a  current 
year's  shoot,  all  the  buds  which  it  developes  previously 
to  the  month  of  August,  will  be  fruit-buds,  provided, 
first,  that  the  size  of  the  shoot  be  large  enough  for  its 
vessels  to  convey  a  sufficient  quantity  of  the  juices  of 
the  plant,  to  generate  and  nourish  bunches  of  fruit  in 
embryo ;  and,  secondly,  that  the  shoot  be  duly  exposed 
to  light,  and  to  the  full  operation  of  the  sun's  rays,  on 
the  surface  of  a  wall,  having  any  aspect  south  of  and 
including  the  eastern  and  western  points  of  the  horizon, 
by  which  these  juices  will  be  elaborated,  and  the  pro- 
cess of  the  formation  of  fruit-buds  thereby  completed. 
If,  therefore,  the  shoot  itself  be  not  sufficiently  large 
to  develope  fruit-buds,  or,  if  being  so,  it  be  shaded  from 
the  sun's  rays  during  the  first  protrusion  and  early  for- 
mation of  them,  then,  in  the  following  year,  shoots  only 
will  be  produced,  but  no  fruit.  But,  on  the  contrary, 
if  the  shoot,  being  of  a  proper  fruit-bearing  size,  be  con- 
stantly  triined  on  the  surface  of  a  wall,  having  any  of 
the  aspects  before-mentioned,  and  a  clear  space  of  five 
inches  be  left  on  each  side  of  it,  by  which  no  adjacent 


96  ON  THE  TRAINING  OP  VINES. 

foliage  will  shade  it,  then,  under  these  circumstances, 
every  bud  (except  the  two  first)  produced  previously  to 
the  month  already  named,  will  be  a  fruit-bud,  and  will 
show  accordingly,  when  it  unfolds  in  the  following  year, 
one  or  more  bunches  of  grapes. 

The  cause  of  the  production  of  fruit-buds  in  the  lat- 
ter instance,  and  of  their  non-production  in  the  former, 
may  be  thus  further  explained.  As  the  shoot  is  pro- 
gressively developed,  if  it  be  shaded  by  any  adjacent 
foliage,  the  sap  of  the  shaded  part  remains  in  its  origi- 
nal thin  and  watery  state,  being  excluded  from  the 
sun's  rays,  which  are  necessary  to  warm  and  elaborate 
it,  and  thereby  prepare  it  for  the  developement  of 
bunches  of  fruit  in  embryo.  The  sap  being  thus  thin 
and  watery,  for  want  of  due  exposure  to  the  sun,  pushes 
on  with  amazing  quickness,  the  shoot  elongating  it- 
self on  the  surface  of  the  wall,  much  more  rapidly  than 
it  otherwise  would  do,  thereby  forming  long-jointed 
wood,  not  one  bud  of  which  will  be  sufficiently  matured 
to  produce  fruit ;  the  principle  of  growth  having  been 
in  full  operation,  but  that  of  maturation  having  remained 
dormant.  But,  if  the  shoot  be  trained  on  the  wall, 
and  exposed  to  the  full  power  of  the  solar  rays,  in  the 
manner  already  mentioned,  the  sap,  by  being  warmed, 
becomes  thickened,  or,  as  it  is  termed  inspissated,  in 
which  state  it  accumulates  at  the  joints  of  the  shoot, 
and  expends  itself  in  the  formation  of  fruit-buds.  In 
this  case  the  principles  of  growth  and  of  maturation 
will  have  been  in  active  co-operation. 

I  have  had  good  grapes  produced  from  buds  formed 
as  late  as  the  beginning  of  September  in  a  favourable 
season,  and  also  from  shoots  trained  within  three  inches 
of  each  other,  as  well  as  on  aspects  considerably  north 
of  the  eastern  and  western  points  of  the  horizon  ;  but  as 
there  is  some  degree  of  uncertainty  attached  in  these 
cases  they  are  rejected  in  the  rule,  lest  the  practical 


ON  THE  TRAINING  OF  VINES.  97 

operation  of  it  might,  in  some  instances,  be  productive 
of  disappointment. 

I  know  of  no  exception  to  this  rule,  for  procuring 
the  developement  and  formation  of  fruit-buds,  except 
in  the  case  of  a  vine  having  been  overcropped,  or  in 
that  of  an  exceedingly  vigorous  growth  of  the  shoots, 
the  result  of  the  soil  being  too  highly  manured.  But 
the  former  can  never  happen,  if  the  quantity  of  fruit 
borne  by  the  vine  be  proportioned  to  its  capacity  of 
maturation,  agreeably  to  the  scale  given  in  the  former 
part  of  this  work  ;  and  the  latter  can  be  easily  reme- 
died by  training  the  shoots  in  a  curved  direction.  In- 
deed, the  principle  of  retarding  the  flow  of  the  sap,  by 
curving  or  depressing  the  shoots,  may  be  applied  with 
as  much  advantage  to  the  training  of  the  summer 
shoots  of  a  vine,  as  to  that  of  the  shoots  grown  in  the 
preceding  year.  For  although  by  training  the  sum- 
mer shoots  in  the  manner  before-mentioned,  all  the 
buds  developed  will  be  fruit-buds,  and  the  number  and 
size  of  their  bunches  be,  in  a  great  measure,  regulated 
by  the  duration  and  intensity  of  the  solar  rays  they 
enjoyed  during  their  formation,  yet  the  number,  and 
more  especially  the  size,  of  the  bunches  of  fruit  pro- 
duced from  a  bud,  can,  without  doubt,  be  further  in- 
creased by  the  application  of  this  principle.  If  a  sum- 
mer shoot,  therefore,  every  time  it  is  nailed  throughout 
the  season,  be  bent  or  pointed  in  a  different  direction  to 
that  in  which  it  grew  at  the  preceding  nailing,  the  vig- 
our of  its  growth  will  be  checked,  and  the  sap  will  im- 
mediately accumulate,  and  expend  itself  in  forming 
round  short-jointed  wood,  and  in  the  developement  of 
the  finest  description  of  fruit-buds.  This  is  the  key 
to  the  production  of  large  bunches  of  fruit,  which  are 
not  the  necessary  consequence  of  very  large-sized 
bearing  shoots,  but  rather  of  sap  that  has  been  accu- 


98  ON  THE    TRAINING  OF  VINES. 

mulated,  and  highly  elaborated  by  slowness  of  growth, 
in  combination  with  full  exposure  to  the  sun's  rays. 

Sufficient  has  now  been  said  to  show  the  principles 
by  which  the  training  of  the  summer  shoots  of  a  vine, 
that  are  reserved  as  future  bearers,  must  be  regulated 
throughout  the  season.  They  are  simple,  and  of  easy 
practical  application ;  and  it  is  evident  that,  by  con- 
forming  to  them,  abundant  crops  of  grapes  are  always 
at  the  command  of  the  cultivator. 

Ample  details  of  the  routine  of  summer  training  be- 
ing given  in  the  Calendarial  Register,  it  only  remains, 
in  closing  this  chapter,  to  say  a  few  words  in  reference 
to  the  nailing  of  the  shoots  to  the  wall.  Linen  or  cot- 
ton shreds  are  the  best  that  can  be  used  for  this  purpose, 
woollen  ones  being  too  thick,  and  also  too  retentive  of 
moisture.  But  if  woollen  shreds  be  used,  those  cut 
from  old  cloth  are  better  than  those  from  new,  as  the 
latter  abound  with  oil,  and  are,  therefore,  pernicious, 
especially  to  the  summer  shoots. 

Strength,  thinness,  and  openness  of  texture,  are 
qualities  necessary  to  form  a  good  shred,  and  these 
will  be  found  combined  in  a  much  greater  degree  in 
linen  or  cotton  fabrics,  than  in  those  made  of  wool. 
The  shreds  should  be  from  three  quarters  of  an  inch  to 
an  inch  and  a  half  in  breadth,  according  to  the  size  of 
the  shoot  to  be  nailed,  and  they  should  be  cut  sufficiently 
long,  to  admit  of  space  enough  being  left  for  the  shoots 
freely  to  swell  in,  after  they  are  encircled  by  the 
shreds.  It  must  not  be  forgotten,  that  the  covering  of 
portions  of  the  branches  with  shreds,  and  thereby  pre- 
venting them  from  receiving  the  benefit  of  the  sun  and 
air,  is,  to  a  certain  extent,  a  direct  injury  to  the  vege- 
tation of  the  vine,  and  is  only  resorted  to  because  there 
are  no  other  means  by  which  the  branches  can  be  con- 
fined in  their  position  on  the  wall,  so  as  to  receive  the 


ON   THE    TRAINING   OF   VINES. 

benefit  of  its  warmth  by  close  contact.  Bearing  this 
in  mind,  therefore,  care  should  be  taken  never  to  use 
more  shreds,  nor  any  of  a  greater  breadth,  than  are 
necessary  to  secure  the  branches  in  a  firm  and  effect- 
ual  manner. 


100 


CHAPTER  XI. 


ON  THE  MANAGEMENT    OF  A    VINE  DURING  THE    FIRST 
FIVE  YEARS  OF  ITS  GROWTH. 


As  the  routine  of  practice  hereafter  given  in  the 
Calendarial  Register,  applies  more  particularly  to  vines 
that  are  well  established,  and  in  full  bearing,  it  is  ne- 
cessary that  some  practical  directions  should  be  given 
for  the  management  of  young  vines,  until  they  arrive 
at  such  a  state  of  growth,  as  to  admit  of  their  being 
subjected  to  a  regular  course  of  pruning  and  training . 
Previously,  however,  to  this  being  done,  some  observa- 
tions relative  to  the  transplanting  of  vines  may  per- 
haps not  be  unacceptable. 

The  best  time  of  the  year  to  transplant  a  vine  is  im- 
mediately  after  the  fall  of  the  leaf ;  the  longer  its 
removal  is  postponed  after  this  period,  the  later  in  the 
ensuing  spring  does  it  begin  to  vegetate.  The  ground 
in  which  it  is  to  be  planted  must  be  prepared  agreeably 
to  the  directions  given  in  Chapter  V.,  "On  Soil."  This 
being  done,  dig  a  hole  for  the  reception  of  the  vine, 
about  two  feet  deep,  and  of  the  same  width  and  length  ; 
and  if,  after  the  plant  is  taken  up,  its  roots  should  prove 
too  long  for  this,  the  size  of  the  hole  must  be  increased, 
as  on  no  account  must  the  roots  be  crippled  in  their 
extension.  Loosen  the  sides  and  bottom  of  the  hole, 
and  to  the  soil  that  is  taken  out,  add  a  couple  of  spits 
of  well-rotted  dung,  and  mix  the  whole  well  together, 


MANAGEMENT.  101 

making  it  very  fine.  Put  the  mould  into  the  hole 
again  to  within  nine  inches  of  the  top,  and  it  will  be 
ready  to  receive  the  vine.  This  must  be  now  care- 
fully taken  up,  with  its  roots  as  entire  as  possible,  and 
if  any  of  them  be  bruised,  or  in  any  way  injured,  they 
must  be  pruned  back  to  the  sound  parts ;  fix  the  vine 
in  the  hole  with  its  stem  about  three  inches  from  the 
wall,  and  let  the  bottom  bud  be  just  even  with  the  sur- 
face of  the  ground.  Spread  the  roots  out  in  a  hori- 
zontal direction  at  equal  distances  from  each  other 
and  in  a  similar  manner  to  the  spokes  of  a  fan,  and 
then  fill  the  hole  with  the  mould  nearly  to  the  top. 
Take  hold  of  the  stem,  and,  drawing  it  upwards  a  lit- 
tle, give  it  two  or  three  good  shakes  with  the  hand, 
that  the  mould  may  settle  well  round  the  roots ;  after 
which,  fill  up  the  hole  with  the  remainder  of  the  mould, 
cut  the  vine  down  to  the  two  bottom  buds,  and  the  op- 
eration will  be  completed. 

If  the  vine  have  been  raised  in  a  pot,  the  roots  will 
most  probably  be  matted  together,  in  which  case  they 
must  be  freed  from  the  mould,  by  having  it  shaken  en- 
tirely off;  and  if  any  of  them  should  have  grown  in  an 
adverse  direction,  so  as  to  cross  each  other,  or  in  any 
way  that  is  likely  to  interfere  with  their  future  growth, 
which  is  frequently  the  case  with  the  roots  of  vines 
raised  in  pots,  all  such  must  be  cut  completely  out, 
close  to  the  part  whence  they  have  sprung.  Also,  such 
of  the  roots  as  are  very  taper  and  long,  and  that  appear 
to  have  been  over-excited  in  their  growth,  prune  back 
to  within  a  foot  of  the  stem,  or  to  such  parts  as  appear 
to  be  sufficiently  strong  and  healthy  to  generate  new 
fibres.  Transplanting  should  always  be  done  in  dry 
and  still  weather,  and  when  the  soil  works  freely.  Du- 
ring the  removal  of  a  vine,  the  roots  must  be  carefully 
kept  from  exposure  to  the  atmosphere,  the  influence  of 
which  w*uld  dry  up  their  tender  extremities,  and 
i* 


102 

cause  them  to  perish.  The  better  way  is,  never  to 
take  up  a  young  vine  about  to  be  transplanted,  until 
its  new  residence  be  prepared  to  receive  it,  and  then  to 
let  its  removal  be  effected  as  quickly  as  possible. 

Assuming  now  that  the  vine  thus  transplanted  is  a 
young  one,  it  may  be  considered  equal  in  its  growth  to 
one  raised  from  a  layer  or  cutting  in  the  preceding 
summer  ;  and  as  ample  directions  have  already  been 
given  for  the  management  of  a  vine  during  its  first 
summer's  growth,  its  future  culture  will  be  here  taken 
up  at  the  autumn  of  the  first  year,  and  after  it  has 
been  cut  down  to  the  two  lowermost  buds,  as  directed 
in  Chapter  VIII. ,  "  On  the  Propagation  of  Vines." 

FIRST    YEAR. 

Dec.  1st. — As  long  as  the  weather  remains  open, 
the  soil  round  the  roots  should  not  be  covered  over,  but 
as  soon  as  frost  comes,  a  good  covering  of  litter,  or  of 
well-rotted  stable  manure,  must  be  laid  over  the  ground 
as  far  as  the  roots  extend,  and  if  the  weather  be  very 
severe,  it  will  be  better  also  to  cover  over  the  stem,  to 
the  depth  of  five  or  six  inches  above  the  top  of  it. 
The  young  plant  being  thus  well  protected  from  the 
severity  of  the  winter,  may  remain  in  this  state  till 
the  first  of  March. 

SECOND     YEAR. 

March  1st. — Remove  the  covering  and  fork  up  the 
surface  of  the  ground,  to  the  depth  of  two  or  three 
inches,  that  the  sun  and  air  may  freely  penetrate  it. 

April  1st. — Keep  the  soil  round  the  roots  free  from 
weeds,  and  the  surface  of  it  loose,  either  by  raking  or 
forking  it  up  as  often  as  necessary. 

May  1st. — Now,  remember,  that  only  a  single  shoot 
is  permanently  to  be  trained  throughout  the  summer, 
the  object  of  leaving  two  buds  in  the  previous  au- 


MANAGEMENT.  103 

tumn,  being  to  provide  against  the  loss  of  a  shoot  in 
case  of  any  accident.  As  soon,  therefore,  as  the 
strongest  has  grown  sufficiently  to  be  out  of  danger  of 
being  accidentally  rubbed  off,  the  other  is  to  be  cut 
out  as  hereafter  directed.  If  any  other  shoots  have 
pushed  besides  the  two  principal  ones,  rub  them  all 
off.  As  soon  as  the  shoots  have  grown  about  a  foot  in 
length,  nail  them  to  the  wall.  Do  this  very  carefully, 
for  they  are,  as  yet,  extremely  tender.  When  they 
have  grown  about  six  inches  from  the  last  nailing,  they 
must  again  be  nailed,  and  continually  kept  so,  never 
suffering  the  tops  of  the  shoot  to  be  blown  about  by 
the  wind.  As  the  tendrils  and  lateral  shoots  succes- 
sively appear  throughout  the  summer,  pinch  off  the 
former  when  they  have  grown  about  three  or  four 
inches  in  length,  and  the  latter  to  an  inch  beyond  the 
first  eye. 

June  1st. — Throughout  this  month  and  the  two  fol- 
lowing ones,  whenever  the  ground  appears  parched 
through  the  heat  of  the  weather,  give  the  roots,  once  a 
day,  about  half  a  gallon  of  soap-suds  or  dung- water. 
Keep  the  ground  free  from  weeds,  and  the  surface 
loose  and  open,  by  raking,  or  forking  it  up  once  a 
week  throughout  the  summer. 

July  1st.  —  The  young  shoots  being  firmly  united  to 
the  preceding  year's  wood,  and  therefore  past  all  dan- 
ger of  being  broken  off  by  any  accident,  unnail  the 
weakest  shoot  of  the  two,  and  cut  it  out  close  to  the 
stem,  making  the  surface  of  the  wound  quite  smooth 
and  even,  The  remaining  shoot  must  be  kept  nailed 
to  the  wall,  as  before  directed. 

Nov.  1st. — Cut  the  vine  down  to  the  two  lower- 
most buds,  and  in  the  winter,  if  the  weather  be  frosty, 
cover  the  ground  over  in  the  same  manner  as  in  the 
preceding  winter. 


104  FIRST  FIVE  YEARS' 

THIRD  YEAR. 

March  1st. — Remove  the  winter  covering,  and  fork 
up  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  let  the  subsequent 
management  throughout  the  season  be  precisely  the 
same  as  in  the  preceding  summer.  If  any  fruit  be 
shown,  pinch  it  off  immediately  it  appears. 

Nov.  1st. — The  stem  of  the  vine  will  now  be  more 
than  two  inches  in  girt,  and  therefore  two  leading  shoots 
are  to  be  permanently  retained  in  the  next  year.  For 
this  purpose,  cut  the  vine  down  now  to  the  three  low- 
ermost buds,  thus  reserving,  as  before,  one  to  spare  in 
case  of  accident.  The  vine  will  then  resemble  fig.  5. 
The  roots  being  now  sufficiently  strong  to  withstand 
the  severity  of  the  weather,  will  not  in  future  require 
to  be  covered. 

Fig.  5. 


FOURTH   YEAR. 

March  1st. — Clean  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and 
fork  it  up  lightly,  and  let  the  subsequent  management 
throughout  the  season  be  the  same  as  before,  unless  di- 
rected otherwise. 

May  1st. — As  soon  as  the  shoots  have  attained  a  suf- 
ficient length,  nail  them  carefully  to  the  wall,  and  rub 
off  all  others,  if  any  should  have  gushed.  If  fruit  be 
shown,  pinch  it  off  as  in  the  preceding  year. 

July   1st  — Unnail   and  cut  out  the  weakest  of  the 


MANAGEMENT.  105 

three  shoots,  and  train  the  two  remaining  ones  care- 
fully during  the  remainder  of  the  season. 

September  1st. — Pinch  off  the  tops  of  the  shoots. 

November  1st. — As  the  girt  of  the  stem  will  not  be 
less  now  than  three  inches,  the  vine  may  be  permitted 
to  mature  fruit  the  next  year,  not  exceeding  five 
pounds'  weight.  For  this  purpose,  cut  down  the 
two  shoots  to  the  seven  lowermost  buds  each,  prune 
away  the  remaining  portions  of  the  tendrils  and  dead 
wood  close  to  the  shoots,  and  cut  out,  carefully,  all 
the  lateral  shoots  close  to  the  bases  of  the  buds,  whence 
they  have  sprung.  If  the  outer  bark  of  the  stem  be 
decayed,  peel  it  off  clean,  and  then  nail  the  shoots  to 
the  wall  in  a  temporary  manner. 

FIFTH  YEAR. 

February  1st. — As  soon  after  this  time  as  the  weath- 
er is  open,  cut  out  of  each  shoot  ihejirst,  second,  fburth, 
fifth,  and  sixth  buds ;  then  bend  the  two  shoots  care- 
fully down,  and  secure  them  in  a  horizontal  position, 
similar  to  that  represented  in  fig.  6. 

Fi«.  6. 


o      .3 


106  FIRST  FIVE  YEARS' 

March  1st. — Clean  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and 
fork  it  up  as  in  the  preceding  year. 

May  1st. — Train  the  shoots  that  push  from  the  shoots 
3  and  7,  in  the  manner  represented  by  the  dotted  lines 
1,  2,  3,  4,  and  if  more  fruit  shows  than  is  equivalent  to 
the  weight  before-mentioned,  the  excess  must  be  cut  off 
when  the  berries  are  set,  as  directed  in  the  Calendarial 
Register,  July  15th  (p. 171).  Continue  the  samecourse 
of  management  as  in  the  preceding  year,  and  when  the 
roots  require  watering,  they  are  now  sufficiently  strong 
to  have  applied  to  them  for  that  purpose,  any  descrip- 
tion of  liquid  manure  that  can  be  most  conveniently 
obtained. 

September  1st. — Pinch  off  the  tops  of  the  shoots, 
and  the  sap  will  then  accumulate  in  the  buds. 

October  1st. — As  soon  after  this  time  as  the  fruit  is 
gathered,  cut  back  the  first  and  third  shoots,  to  as 
many  buds  as  may  be  deemed  necessary  to  produce 
the  quantity  of  fruit  which  the  vine  can  mature  in  the 
next  year  ;  and  the  second  and  fourth  shoots  to  the 
lowermost  bud  each.  Cut  out  the  lateral  shoots  and 
the  stumps  of  the  tendrils,  as  directed  in  the  preceding 
year,  and  peel  or  scrape  off  all  loose  and  decayed  bark  ; 
then  nail  the  shoots  temporarily  to  the  wall  to  protect 
them  throughout  the  winter. 

SIXTH    YEAR. 

March  1st. — Train  the  two  shoots  in  the  manner 
represented  by  S,  S,  fig.  7,  and  those  that  push  from 
the  spurs  H,  H,  train  also  in  a  similar  form.  Clean 
the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  fork  it  up  as  in  the  pre- 
ceding year.  The  Calendarial  Register  will  now 
supply  the  details  of  the  future  management. 

The  vine  has  now  assumed  the  form  which  it  is  per- 
manently to  retain,  and  the  manner  in  which  it  is 
trained  may  be  considered  as  the  commencement  of  a 


MANAGEMENT. 

Fig.  7. 


107 


u 


It 


system  of  alternately  fruiting  two  shoots,  and  training 
two  at  full  length  for  bearing- wood  in  the  following 
year ;  which  method  may  be  continued  every  year 
without  any  alteration,  until  the  capacity  of  the  vine  is 
equal  to  the  maturation  of  more  fruit  than  can  possi- 
bly be  borne  by  two  single  shoots ;  which,  on  an  ave- 
rage, may  be  estimated  at  sixty  pounds'  weight  annu- 
ally. Several  years  must  elapse  before  this  will  be  the 
case,  but  when  it  is,  the  arms  may  be  easily  lengthened 
by  the  training  in  of  a  shoot  at  their  extremities,  and 
managing  it  in  the  same  manner  as  when  the  arms  of 
the  vine  were  first  formed.  It  is  very  advisable,  how- 
ever, that  the  vine  should  not  be  suffered  to  extend 


108 

itself  further  on  the  wall,  for  in  such  case  the  bearing- 
shoots  emitted  from  the  centre*  are  sure  to  decline  in 
strength;  whereas,  by  confining  the  dimensions  of  the 
vine  to  a  single  arm  on  each  side  of  the  stem,  and 
each  arm  to  the  support  and  nourishment  of  two 
branches  only,  the  very  best  description  of  bearing- 
shoots  will  never  fail  to  be  generated  close  at  home, 
and  these,  as  the  vine  advances  in  age,  will  become 
prolific  almost  beyond  conception.  I  have  often  ri- 
pened as  many  as  seven  full-sized  bunches  of  grapes, 
on  two  shoots  which  have  pushed  from  a  single  bud, 
on  vines  managed  in  this  manner.  Indeed,  those  who 
have  been  accustomed  to  permit  their  vines  to  cover  a 
large  space  of  walling,  and  to  possess  a  great  number 
of  branches,  can  scarcely  imagine  how  much  easier  a 
vine  is  managed,  and  with  what  certainty  the  fruit  is 
increased  in  quantity,  and  improved  in  quality,  when 
it  is  kept  within  a  small  compass  on  the  surface  of  the 
wall. 

Moreover,  there  cannot  be  the  slightest  reason  given, 
why  vines  should  be  encouraged  to  spread  over  the 
extent  of  surface  which  they  usually  do,  their  propaga- 
tion being  so  easy,  that  a  wall,  however  long  or  high, 
may  be  entirely  covered  with  fruit  and  bearing- wood 
in  the  space  of  six  or  seven  years,  provided  the  vines 
are  planted  sufficiently  near  to  each  other.  The  roots 
of  vines  do  not  prejudice  each  other  by  running  togeth- 
er, but,  on  the  contrary,  rather  serve  to  prevent  any 
redundancy  of  moisture  in  the  soil,  by  more  fully  occu- 
pying it,  and  to  cause  the  shoots  to  be  less  luxuriant  in 
their  growth,  than  if  they  enjoyed  a  more  extensive 
range  for  food  ;  and  this,  without  doubt,  increases 
their  fertility. 

I  have  planted  vines  within  eighteen  inches  of  each 
other,  for  the  purpose  of  speedily  filling  a  wall ;  and 
they  thrive,  and  produce  as  fine  grapes,  as  if  planted 


MANAGEMENT.  109 

as  many  yards  apart.  The  distance,  therefore,  at  which 
vines  may  be  planted  from  each  other,  need  have  but 
little  reference  to  the  space  which  their  roots  will  oc- 
cupy in  the  border,  but  rather  to  the  surface  of  the 
wall,  on  which  the  branches  are  to  be  trained.  A 
vine  trained  as  represented  by  fig.  7,  will  stretch  its 
two  arms  about  five  feet  in  length,  and  if  ten  feet  in 
height  be  set  apart  for  the  shoots  to  be  trained  on,  the 
whole  surface  required  will  be  fifty  square  feet.  Now, 
the  annual  increase  in  the  girt  of  the  stem  of  a  vine 
planted  in  good  ground,  will  be  found  on  an  average, 
after  it  comes  to  be  fruited  regularly,  to  be  about  half 
an  inch,  which  gives  an  increase  in  its  powers  of  ma- 
turation equal  to  five  pounds'  weight  of  fruit ;  and  if 
sixty  pounds  be  estimated  as  the  greatest  quantity  which 
annually  can  be  obtained  from  a  vine  confined  within 
this  space,  it  will  appear,  that  if  a  cutting  be  planted, 
it  will  be  fifteen  or  sixteen  years  before  it  can  be  ex- 
pected to  arrive  at  such  a  degree  of  strength,  as  to  be 
able  to  mature  that  quantity  of  fruit.  This  space  of 
time  is  so  great,  that  it  seems  highly  desirable  to  shorten 
it.  And  this  is  easily  done  by  allowing  to  each  vine 
when  first  planted  no  more  than  half  this  portion  of  the 
surface  of  the  wall,  namely,  twenty-five  square  feet 
for  the  training  of  the  branches ;  and  when  it  has  at- 
tained such  a  degree  of  strength  that  its  shoots  can- 
not be  kept  within  the  limits  of  that  space,  let  every 
alternate  vine  be  cut  out.  If  the  wall,  therefore,  be  ten 
feet  high,  plant  the  vines  two  feet  and  a  half  apart, 
and  appropriate  to  each  vine  the  five  lower  feet  of  the 
surface,  and  the  five  upper  in  alternate  succession.  To 
form  the  stems  of  those  destined  for  the  upper  portion 
of  the  wall,  instead  of  cutting  down  the  vine  in  the 
autumn  ^f  the  third  year  of  its  growth  to  the  three 
lowermost  buds,  cut  out  all  the  buds  on  the  shoot,  to  the 
height  of  five  feet  from  the  ground,  and  select  the  three 


110  FIRST  FIVE  YEARS'  MANAGEMENT. 

next  buds,  to  obtain  the  two  shoots  for  the  arms.  And 
if  the  wall  be  seven  or  eight  feet  high,  plant  the  vines 
about  three  feet  and  a  half  apart,  and  train  every  alter- 
nate one  similar  to  fig.  7,  and  the  others  in  a  horizon- 
tal manner,  resembling  fig.  4.  If  the  summer  shoots, 
during  their  growth,  interfere  with  each  other,  the  rem- 
edy is  easy.  From  the  flexibility  of  the  shoots  of  the 
vine,  they  can  be  trained  in  any  manner  that  conve- 
nience may  dictate ;  and  the  more  they  are  bent  and 
curved  about,  the  more  fruitful  do  they  become.  It  is 
this  property,  indeed,  that  enables  the  skilful  cultivator 
to  cover  the  face  of  a  wall  with  full  crops  of  grapes,  in 
a  much  shorter  space  of  time,  and  with  a  far  greater 
degree  of  certainty,  than  can  be  done  in  respect  to  any 
other  description  of  fruit. 


WEEKLY   CALENDARIAL   REGISTER.  Ill 


CHAPTER  XII. 

WEEKLY  CALENDARIAL  REGISTER  ;  comprehending 
the  practical  details  of  the  Management*  of  a  Vine, 
from  the  bursting  of  the  bud  to  the  fall  of  the  leaf. 

April  1st. — This  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  pe- 
riods of  the  year  to  observe  the  vine.  The  plant  hav- 
ing been  apparently  in  a  state  of  rest  for  several 
months,  now  begins  to  awake  from  its  slumber,  and 
the  buds  will  be  seen  swelling  with  eagerness  to  escape 
from  their  winter  habitation.  Examine  them  all  care- 
fully, to  see  if  any  are  impeded  in  their  growth,  in 
consequence  of  the  shoots  having  been  nailed  too  close- 
ly to  the  wall  or  otherwise.  All  such  buds  must  be 
immediately  relieved,  by  cutting  the  shreds  which  con- 
fine them,  or  by  putting  small  bits  of  wood,  or  other 
convenient  things,  betwixt  the  shoots  and  the  wall,  and 
thereby  making  a  space  for  the  buds  to  swell  in.  In 
dry  weather,  fork  up  the  border  to  the  depth  of  a 

*  The  operations  directed  in  the  following  Register,  to  be  per- 
formed on  or  about  the  respective  days  named,  are  applicable  to  a 
medium  aspect,  a  season  moderately  favourable  to  the  culture  of 
the  vine,  and  to  latitude  50f  °  north.  In  a  very  favourable  aspect, 
or  season,  therefore,  or  in  a  latitude  farther  south,  the  different 
stages  in  the.  growth  of  the  shoots,  &c.  of  a  vine,  as  indicated  in 
the  Register,  will  occur  a  little  earlier ;  while,  on  the  contrary,  if 
the  aspect  or  season  be  unfavourable,  or  the  latitude  be  much  far- 
ther north,  they  will  be  found  to  take  place  a  few  days  later.  It 
may  be  remarked,  also,  that  the  directions  for  management  are  in- 
tended to  be  of  general  application,  and.not  to  refer  exclusively  to 
a  vine  pruned  or  trained  in  any  particular  manner. 


112  WEEKLY  CALENDARIAL  REGISTER. 

couple  of  inches,  that  it  may  be  loose  and  open,  to  re- 
ceive the  full  benefit  of  the  sun  and  air. 

April  8th. — The  buds  will  now  be  sufficiently  un- 
folded, to  show  the  extremities  of  the  first  bunches  of 
fruit,  peeping  out  betwixt  the  beautiful  crimson  edges 
of  the  embryo  leaves.  Look  carefully  again  over  all 
the  buds,  and  if  any  be  confined,  and  have  not  suffi- 
cient room  to  push  their  shoots  freely,  give  them  relief 
immediately. 

April  15th. — Some  of  the  buds  will  now  be  unfolded 
two  or  three  inches  in  length,  and  the  leaves,  as  they 
increase  in  size,  will  part  with  their  variegated  tints, 
and  gradually  assume  their  permanent  colours.  The 
small  buds  which  frequently  accompany  the  principal 
ones,  should  now  be  rubbed  off. 

April  22nd.  —  Such  shoots  as  have  grown  four  or  five 
inches  in  length,  will  show  all  the  bunches  of  fruit  which 
they  will  bear  in  the  current  season.  Continue  to  ex- 
amine the  young  shoots,  to  see  if  any  of  them  are  crip- 
pled or  obstructed  in  their  growth,  and,  if  so,  give  the 
necessary  relief. 

April  29th. — If  any  small  or  secondary  buds  still 
remain,  rub  them  off  immediately,  as  they  will  now  im- 
pede the  growth  of  the  young  shoots.  If  weeds  begin 
to  appear  in  the  border,  hoe  them  up,  or  pull  them  with 
the  hand,  and  rake  the  surface  smooth  and  clean. 

May  6th. — The  shoots  will  now  grow  rapidly,  and 
the  bunches  of  fruit  unfold  in  quick  succession.  Con- 
tinue to  look  over  the  former,  and  to  remove  any  thing 
that  may  obstruct  their  growth. 

May  13th.—  The  shoots  will  now  be  of  sufficient 
length  to  be  nailed  to  the  wall.  With  respect  to  this 
operation,  the  rule  to  be  observed,  is,  never  to  suffer 
any  shoot  to  grow  more  than  twelve  inches  without 
nailing  it,  to  protect  it  from  the  injurious  effects  of  the 
wind,  and  to  give  it  the  benefit  of  the  warmth  of  the 


WEEKLY  CALENDARIAL  REGISTER.  113 

wall  by  close  contact.  This  operation  must  be  per- 
formed very  carefully  throughout  this  month,  as  the 
young  shoots  are  extremely  tender  and  brittle.  There 
will  be  many  shoots  emitted  from  different  parts  of 
the  vine,  that  will  neither  show  fruit,  nor  be  of  a  suffi- 
cient size  to  be  retained  for  future  bearers.  All  such 
must  be  now  rubbed  off,  unless  foliage  be  required  to 
cover  any  adjacent  bunches  of  fruit,  in  which  case 
pinch  the  tops  off  at  the  second  or  third  joint,  and  they 
will  not  then  require  to  be  nailed.  In  managing  the 
vine  throughout  the  season,  be  careful  to  observe  this 
general  rule  ;  that  every  operation  in  which  the  shoots, 
leaves,  or  fruit  are  concerned,  must  be  performed  when 
the  weather  is  dry,  and  after  the  dew  is  dissipated  in 
the  morning,  and  before  it  begins  to  fall  in  the 
evening. 

May  *2Qth. — Nail  the  shoots  that  show  fruit,  and 
that  are  intended  to  be  cut  out  at  the  next  autumnal 
pruning,  sufficiently  near  to  each  other  to  cause  their 
leaves,  when  they  attain  their  full  size,  to  form  a  con- 
tinued unbroken  surface,  which  will  be  hereafter  of  the 
greatest  service  in  protecting  and  maturing  the  fruit. 
But  such  shoots  as  are  intended  to  be  trained  for  fu- 
ture bearers,  must  have  as  much  clear  surface  of  the 
wall  to  themselves  as  possible,  never  less,  indeed,  than 
five  inches  on  each  side  of  every  shoot. 

The  whole  crop  of  grapes  will  have  been  shown  pre- 
viously to  this  time.  During  the  last  three  or  four 
weeks,  the  leafing  of  the  vine,  and  the  unfolding  of  the 
bunches  of  fruit  in  rapid  succession,  will  have  presented 
a  sight  of  the  most  pleasing  and  gratifying  nature.  If 
the  cultivator  has  not,  during  the  preceding  year,  im- 
posed on  the  vine  the  task  of  ripening  a  greater  quan- 
tity of  fruit  than  its  strength  would  permit,  without 
encroaching  too  much  on  its  vital  energies,  and  has 
subsequently  used  the  pruning-knife  in  a  skilful  man- 
j* 


114 


WEEKLY  CALENDARIAL  REGISTER. 


ner,  he  will  now  be  rewarded  with  the  prospect  of  not 
only  an  abundant,  but,  most  probably,  an  overflowing 
crop.  Many  shoots  will  show  three  bunches  of  fruit, 
and  here  and  there,  on  some,  will  be  found  even  four. 

May  21th. — The  shoots  will  now  push  so  rapidly,  as 
to  require  almost  daily  inspection.  Nail  the  future 
bearers  firmly,  and  if  any  of  them  be  disposed  to  grow 
long-jointed,  bend  them  a  little  out  of  their  former  di- 
rection, every  time  they  are  nailed ;  this  will  soon 
check  their  growth,  and  insure  the  developement  of 
full-sized  fruit-buds.  Some  of  the  strongest  shoots 
will,  perhaps,  grow  in  an  adverse  direction  to  the  sur- 
face of  the  wall ;  if  so,  these  must  be  managed  at  the 
outset,  with  more  than  ordinary  care.  For  the  purpose 
of  inducing  them  to  grow  close  to  the  wall,  provide  a 
sufficient  number  of  shreds  from  twelve  to  eighteen 
inches  in  length,  or  longer,  if  required  ;  and  as  soon 
as  any  shoot  which  has  thus  pushed,  has  attained  the 
length  of  fifteen,  or  not  more  than  eighteen  inches, 
put  a  shred,  sufficiently  long,  carefully  round  that  part 
of  it  that  is  nine  or  ten  inches  from  the  old  wood,  out 
of  which  it  has  grown,  and,  drawing  it  out  of  its  natu- 
ral position  about  an  inch  towards  the  wall,  nail  it 
firmly.  In  the  course  of  two  or  three  days,  the  shoot 
will  have  taken  a  direction  towards  the  wall ;  it  may 
then  have  another  shred  put  round  it  much  shorter  than 
the  first,  and  somewhat  nearer  the  extremity  of  the 
shoot.  Repeat  this  operation  two  or  three  days  after- 
wards, if  required,  and  the  shoot  will  then  grow  close 
to  the  surface  of  the  wall. 

The  tendrils  that  push  from  the  footstalks  of  the 
bunches  of  fruit  must  now  be  pinched  off. 

The  lateral  or  side  shoots,  also,  which  are  now  push- 
ing vigorously,  must  be  pinched  off  about  an  inch 
beyond  the  first  joint,  as  soon  as  they  are  about  four 
inches  in  length,  but  such  as  are  near  any  bunches  of 


WEEKLY  CALENDARIAL  REGISTER.  115 

fruit  should  not  be  thus  topped,  till  they  are  about  six 
inches  in  length,  as  their  foliage  will  then  be  of  great- 
er use  in  protecting  the  fruit.  It  must  be  observed, 
that  the  lateral  shoots  are  not  on  any  account  to  be 
pulled  off,  as  they  are  intimately  connected  with  the  or- 
ganisation of  the  buds;  being  evidently  intended  to 
carry  off  the  superabundant  sap  generated  at  the  joints 
of  the  shoots,  and  to  return  to  them  an  increased  por- 
tion of  elaborated  juice. 

June  3rd. — The  tendrils  will  now  grow  rapidly,  and 
must,  therefore,  be  attended  to  without  delay.  As  soon 
as  they  are  about  six  inches  long,  pinch  them  off  to 
within  about  half  an  inch  of  the  shoots.  If  neglected, 
they  will,  in  a  short  time,  entwine  themselves  round 
the  adjacent  shoots,  and  cripple  them. 

Keep  the  surface  of  the  border  open,  and  free  from 
weeds,  as  before  directed. 

Now,  as  the  comparative  size  and  vigour  of  the 
young  shoots  will  be  distinctly  seen,  select  for  future 
bearers  the  largest  and  most  vigorous  shoots,  and  such 
as  are  round,  and  short-jointed,  and  that  are  appropri- 
ately situated  nearest  to  the  stem  of  the  vine.  Nail 
all  such  very  firmly  to  the  wall,  and,  as  before  directed, 
suffer  no  other  shoot  of  any  description  to  be  trained 
within  five  inches  of  any  one  of  these.  On  the  care- 
ful observance  of  this  point  of  culture  depends  the  cer- 
tainty of  the  next  year's  crop. 

This  is  the  earliest  period  that  any  part  of  ihe  old 
wood  of  the  vine  can  be  cut  out  without  the  risk  of 
bleeding.  If,  therefore,  too  much  of  the  preceding 
year's  wood  has  been  inadvertently  nailed  in,  or  if  any 
other  cause  exist,  that  may  render  it  necessary  to  take 
off  any  of  the  principal  limbs  of  the  vine,  they  may 
now  be  cut  out  with  safety. 

June  IQth. — As  the  shoots  will  now  be  pushing  with 
the  utmost  vigour,  all  such  as  have  fruit  on  them,  and 


116  WEEKLY  CALENDARIAL  REGISTER. 

that  are  not  intended  to  be  retained  for  future  bearers, 
must  be  pinched  off  about  an  inch  beyond  the  first  joint 
above  the  last  bunch  of  fruit.  The  object  in  view  in 
doing  this,  is  to  prevent,  as  much  as  possible,  any  un- 
necessary expenditure  of  sap,  and,  also,  to  cause  it  to 
flow  with  greater  force  into  the  fruit,  and  the  future 
bearing-shoots.  This  operation  being  performed,  all 
nailing  will  now  cease,  except  that  required  for  the  fu- 
ture bearers.  If  any  useless  shoots  are  to  be  found  in 
any  part  of  the  vine,  rub  them  off  immediately. 

June  YHth. — The  vegetation  of  the  vine  being  now 
in  its  highest  vigour,  daily  inspection  will  be  necessary. 
The  future  bearing-shoots  being  in  general  upwards  of 
three  feet  in  length,  and  having  full-sized  leaves,  the 
wind  has  a  proportionate  power  over  them,  and  unless 
kept  firmly  nailed  to  the  wall,  they  will  be  in  great  dan- 
ger of  being  blown  down  and  broken  off,  if  a  high  wind 
should  arise.  To  prevent  this,  nail  them  hereafter  ev- 
ery nine  inches  of  growth,  with  strong  linen  or  cotton 
shreds,  doubling  the  edges  over,  and  driving  the  nails 
with  considerable  force  through  the  four  thicknesses. 
Take  care,  also,  to  drive  the  nails  on  each  side  of  every 
shoot  in  alternate  succession,  so  that  no  two  following 
nails  shall  be  on  the  same  side  of  any  shoot. 

June  24th. — The  fruit  will  now  be  in  blossom,  and 
continue  so  in  succession,  till  the  latter  part  of  the 
next  month.  During  this  period,  great  care  must  be 
taken  not  to  touch  the  bunches,  lest  this  beautiful  pro- 
cess of  vegetable  life,  be  thereby  marred,  and  rendered 
abortive.  Keep  the  border  free  from  weeds,  and  the 
surface  loose  and  open  ;  and  look  over  the  vine  daily, 
as  it  will  now  be  pushing  in  every  direction  with  the 
greatest  vigour. 

The  tendrils,  also,  will  grow  with  surprising  rapidity, 
and  quickly  curl  round,  and  injure  the  neighbouring 


WEEKLY  CALENDARIAL  REGISTER .  117 

foliage,  unless  constantly  looked  after,  and  pinched  off, 
as  before  directed. 

July  1st. — The  fruit  being  now  in  full  blossom,  will 
yield  a  most  delightful  fragrance.  Take  care  that  the 
bunches  are  not  handled,  nor  in  any  way  disturbed,  till 
the  berries  are  set. 

The  lateral  shoots  which  were  topped  some  time 
since  will  now  be  sending  forth  fresh  shoots  from  their 
terminal  buds.  Pinch  off  all  these  succession  shoots 
just  above  their  first  joints,  as  before  ;  and  if  any  should 
hereafter  break  again,  pinch  them  back  in  like  manner 
throughout  the  season. 

Pay  great  attention  to  the  future  bearing-shoots,  and 
nail  them  firmly,  as  directed  June  17th. 

July  8th. — Continue  daily  inspection,  as  the  vine 
will  still  grow  most  vigorously,  and  if  neglected,  useless 
shoots,  laterals,  and  tendrils,  will  speedily  appear  in  all 
parts  of  it.  The  bunches  first  in  blossom  will  now  be- 
gin to  have  their  berries  set. 

July  15th. — Keep  the  border  clear  of  weeds,  by  hoe- 
ing  or  forking  up  the  surface,  which  will  admit  the  sun's 
rays  to  pass  through  it,  and  thereby  warm  and  cherish 
the  surface  roots. 

The  blossoming  being  now  nearly  over,  the  berries 
will  be  setting  in  rapid  succession.  As  soon,  therefore, 
as  they  have  all  grown  to  the  size  of  very  small  peas, 
an  estimate  must  be  made  as  near  as  possible  of  the 
weight  which  the  whole  crop  would  ultimately  attain 
if  suffered  to  remain  and  ripen  ;  and  the  excess,  if  any, 
above  the  quantity  which  the  vine  can  mature,  agreea- 
bly to  the  scale  given  in  page  35,  must  be  cut  off. 
This  is  a  most  important  operation,  and  one  that  can- 
not be  delayed  without  materially  compromising  the 
health  of  the  vine.  In  some  instances,  the  excess,  per- 
haps, will  be  but  trifling,  while,  in  others,  it  will  proba- 
bly be  very  great.  I  have  frequently  had  young  vines 


118  WEEKLY  CALENDARIAL  REGISTER. 

produce  from  eighty  to  a  hundred  full-sized  bunches  of 
grapes  each,  which,  if  matured,  would  have  weighed,  at 
least,  sixty  pounds ;  while  their  individual  strength  was 
not  equal  to  the  ripening  of  more  than  a  fourth  part  of 
that  quantity.  In  such  cases,  three  bunches  out  of  ev- 
ery four  have  been  cut  off.  In  reducing  the  number 
of  bunches,  get  rid  of  the  smallest,  and  the  ragged  and 
uneven  ones,  if  any,  and  also  all  such  as  hang  too  far 
distant  from  the  wall,  to  have  the  full  benefit  of  the 
warmth  and  reflection  of  it ;  and  select,  to  remain, 
those  which  are  largest  in  size  and  berry,  taking  care 
that  they  be  distributed  over  the  vine  as  equally  as 
possible. 

Many  sorts  of  grapes  frequently  produce  on  the 
footstalks  of  the  bunches  of  fruit,  a  small  supplementary 
bunch,  consisting  of  a  few  grapes  at  the  end  of  a  long 
slender  stalk,  constituting  a  sort  of  bastard  "shoulder." 
When  such  an  appendage  to  a  bunch  is  protruded,  it 
should  be  cut  off,  as  the  berries  on  it  seldom  come  to 
perfection,  while  they  unprofitably  consume  a  por- 
tion of  the  nourishment  destined  for  the  bunch  it- 
self. 

July  22nd. — Now  that  the  bunches  have  been  re- 
duced to  their  proper  number,  examine  the  vine,  and 
see  if  there  be  any  vacancies  in  the  foliage,  through 
which  any  of  the  bunches  are  exposed  to  the  direct 
rays  of  the  sun ;  and  if  so,  unnaii  the  adjacent  shoots, 
and  re-nail  them  in  such  positions  as  will  effectually 
shade  the  fruit.  If,  however,  this  cannot  conveniently 
be  done,  put  a  long  narrow  shred  round  the  footstalks 
of  such  bunches  as  are  thus  exposed,  and  drawing 
them  gently  aside,  nail  them  in  a  position  in  which 
the  adjacent  leaves  will  shade  them.  In  doing  this, 
take  care  not  to  twist  or  injure  the  footstalks,  nor  draw 
them  too  far  out  of  their  natural  direction,  which  would 
derange  their  functions ;  as,  through  these  very  slen- 


WEEKLY  CALENDARIAL  REGISTER.  119 

der,  but  beautifully  constituted  organs,  must  flow  the 
chief  part  of  the  nourishment,  required  to  bring  the 
fruit  to  perfection.  Observe,  also,  that  in  no  instance 
should  there  be  more  than  the  thickness  of  one  leaf 
to  shade  the  fruit.  The  solar  rays,  being  thus  trans- 
mitted through  the  medium  of  the  leaves,  are  divested 
of  their  scorching  effect,  and  are  also  modified  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  operate  most  beneficially  on  the  swelling 
of  the  berries.  Grapes  that  are  exposed  to  the  direct 
operation  of  the  sun's  rays,  scarcely  ever  attain  their 
proper  size  or  flavour ;  while,  on  the  contrary,  the 
finest  and  most  highly  flavoured  fruit  will  uniformly 
be  found,  to  hang  in  close  contact  with  the  wall,  and 
to  be  moderately  shaded  by  the  leaves.  The  leaves, 
also,  not  only  serve  as  a  chastened  medium  for  the  so- 
lar rays  to  pass  through,  but  they  prevent,  in  a  con- 
siderable degree,  the  heat  from  escaping  from  the 
wall,  and,  as  a  necessary  consequence,  make  the  tem- 
perature of  the  air  in  which  the  fruit  grows,  warmer 
than  that  of  the  atmosphere.  They  also  protect  the 
fruit  from  the  effects  of  hail,  and  from  continual  and 
heavy  rains ;  which,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  season, 
when  it  is  ripe,  are  advantages  that  cannot  be  too 
highly  appreciated.  It  may  therefore  be  considered 
as  an  important,  and,  indeed,  an  indispensable  point  cf 
culture,  that  all  the  fruit  of  a  vine  ought,  from  the  mo- 
ment of  its  coming  into  blossom,  till  it  be  ripened  and 
gathered,  to  be  shaded  by  a  surface  of  continuous  sin- 
gle leaves,  so  that  no  part  of  it  can  be  seen  by  an  ob- 
server, without  pulling  them  aside.  It  is  true,  that  the 
shape  of  the  leaves  prevents  any  species  of  training,  so 
disposing  them,  as  to  present  one  continued  single-leaf 
surface,  but  though  this  point  of  perfection  cannot  be 
attained,  yet  the  nearer  you  approach  to  it,  the  better 
the  culture  will  be. 
July  29th. — Pay  great  attention  to  the  future  bear- 


120  WEEKLY  CALENDARIAL    REGISTER. 

rng-shoots,  which  will  now  be  of  considerable  length, 
and  if  not  nailed  firmly  to  the  wall,  will  be  in  danger  of 
being  blown  down,  if  a  strong  wind  should  arise.  If 
any  of  them  be  disposed  to  grow  long-jointed,  curve 
them  in  the  training,  which,  by  compressing  the  sap 
vessels,  will  immediately  cause  the  sap  to  accumulate, 
and  produce  short-jointed  wood. 

Keep  laterals,  tendrils,  and  useless  shoots  of  every 
description,  in  constant  check. 

The  grapes  will  now  be  as  large  as  small  peas  ;  they 
must,  therefore,  be  thinned  on  the  bunches  without  loss 
of  time.  For  this  purpose  provide  a  pair  of  sharp- 
pointed  scissors,  that  will  cut  well  at  the  points  ;  and 
at  this  first  thinning,  commence  with  the  bunches  that 
are  the  most  forward  in  growth,  and  reduce  the  number 
of  berries  full  one  half,  cutting  out  all  the  smallest,  and 
such  as  are  too  close  together,  so  that  they  may  be 
equally  distributed  on  the  bunches.  And  in  thinning 
such  sorts  as  set  thickly,  or  that  cluster,  care  must  be 
taken  to  reduce  the  number  of  berries  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  stalks  to  such  an  extent,  as  to  admit  a  free  passage 
for  the  circulation  of  the  air  directly  through  the  bunch- 
es, and  for  the  admission  of  the  solar  heat  to  all  the 
innermost  berries.  This  will  be  found  necessary  to 
insure  an  equal  degree  of  maturity  and  flavour  to  all 
the  berries  of  a  bunch. 

This  thinning  of  the  berries  is  one  of  the  most  neces- 
sary and  most  beneficial  operations  in  the  whole  cul- 
ture of  the  vine.  No  grapes  can  be  produced  fit  for  the 
table  without  it.  It  increases  the  size  of  the  berries, 
improves  their  flavour,  hastens  the  period  of  their  ripen- 
ing, by  preventing  their  clustering,  enables  a  vine  lo 
mature  a  much  greater  weight  of  fruit,  and  counteracts, 
in  a  considerable  degree,  those  exhausting  effects, 
which  the  perfecting  of  it  would  otherwise  produce  on 
the  vital  energies  of  the  plant.  It  is  a  species  of  pruning, 


WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER.  121 

indeed,  and  may  not  improperly  be  called  pruning  of  the 
fruit,  in  contradistinction  to  the  pruning  of  the  wood. 
To  form  a  proper  estimate  of  the  advantages  of  thin- 
ning the  berries,  it  must  be  remembered,  that  during 
the  spring  of  the  year,  and  until  the  fruit  has  blossomed, 
and  is  fairly  set,  the  vine  has  been  emitting  its  shoots, 
principally  by  the  aid  of  sap  generated  in  it  during 
the  preceding  year.  In  doing  this,  its  vital  energies 
have  not  been  taxed  in  the  slightest  degree  ;  for,  if  it 
had  emitted  a  hundred  shoots,  and  every  shoot  were  a 
hundred  feet  long,  the  vine  would  not  only  not  be 
weakened  by  them,  but  such  shoots  would  form  a  cer- 
tain index  to  its  increased  strength  and  vigour,  created 
by  a  corresponding  extension  of  its  roots.  But  far  dif- 
ferent is  the  case  with  respect  to  the  production  of  the 
fruit,  the  perfecting  of  which,  from  the  exhaustion  it 
occasions  to  the  vegetative  powers  of  the  plant,  may  be 
properly  designated  as  a  task.  Other  fruit  trees  are  en- 
dowed with  the  faculty  of  throwing  off,  to  a  considera- 
ble extent,  any  excess  of  fruit  which  they  may  shew 
at  the  commencement  of  the  season,  before  its  size  is 
such  as  to  draw  on  their  vital  energies,  but  no  such 
faculty  is  possessed  by  the  vine.  The  absence  of  this, 
therefore,  must  be  remedied  by  the  cultivator,  on  whose 
knowledge  of  the  extent  of  the  powers  of  maturation 
possessed  by  the  vine  depends  entirely  the  quality  of 
the  crop  when  perfected.  Now,  the  primary  object  of 
every  cultivator  must  undoubtedly  be,  to  obtain  every 
year  in  succession  the  most  valuable  crop  possible  ;  and 
the  qualities  that  confer  value  on  a  crop  of  grapes,  are, 
first,  high  flavour ;  secondly,  largeberries ;  thirdly,  large 
bunches ;  and  in  proportion  to  the  degree  in  which 
these  three  grand  requisites  are  combined,  will  the  crop 
become  really  valuable.  And,  that  neither  high  fla- 
vour, nor  large-sized  berries,  can  be  produced  without 
reducing  the  number  of  them  on  the  bunches,  will  ap- 

K 


122  WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER. 

pear  evident  for  the  following  reasons; — the  fruit  is 
perfected  chiefly  through  the  influence  of  the  atmos- 
phere, as  the  secret  fluid  attracted  by  it  from  the  wood 
is  comparatively  crude  in  its  nature  when  it  enters  the 
berries  :  being  then  distributed  through  the  almost  in- 
numerable vessels,  which  are  most  appropriately,  and, 
indeed,  most  beautifully  arranged  just  within  the  skins 
of  the  berries,  it  there  becomes  gradually  elaborated 
by  the  process  of  evaporation  and  absorption,  which  are 
incessantly  carried  on  through  the  combined  agency  of 
light  and  air,  stimulated  by  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun^ 
And  in  proportion  to  the  energy  with  which  these  pro- 
cesses are  conducted,  will  the  berries  increase  in  size 
and  flavour.  To  generate  an  energetic  action  of 
these  processes,  therefore,  it  is  necessary  that  the 
entire  convex  surface  of  every  berry  should  be  ex- 
posed to  the  unimpeded  influence  of  the  grand  agents 
above-mentioned  ;  and  this  cannot  be  effected  without 
reducing  the  number  of  berries  on  each  bunch  by  the 
aid  of  the  scissors,  to  such  an  extent  that  they  shall  not 
touch  each  other  until  fully  ripened.  Further,  it  must 
be  borne  in  mind,  that  the  str.ength  of  the  vine  is  not 
put  in  requisition  in  creating  the  pulp  of  the  berries, 
but  in  perfecting  the  seed.  The  former  is  the  substance 
on  which  the  latter  feeds  ;  the  number  of  seeds,  there- 
fore, which  the  vine  has  to  nourish,  constitutes  in  reali- 
ty the  true  measure  of  its  task.  And  to  render  the 
performance  of  this  task  as  easy  as  possible,  it  is  not 
enough  that  the  bunches  be  reduced  in  number,  so  as 
to  bring  the  whole  crop  within  a  given  weight,  but  it  is 
also  equally  necessary  that  the  number  of  berries  should 
be  lessened  ;  by  which  operation,  not  only  is  great  re- 
lief given  to  the  vital  powers  of  the  vine  during  the 
maturation  of  the  fruit,  but  the  value  of  the  crop  be- 
comes thereby  doubled,  and  in  many  instances  quad- 
rupled, in  consequence  of  the  extraordinary  increase  in 
the  size  and  flavour  of  the  berries. 


WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER.  123 

August  6th.  —  If  the  weather  be  hot  and  dry,  supply 
the  border  with  liquid  manure.  To  prevent  this  from 
being,  to  any  extent,  lost  by  evaporation,  draw  drills 
about  eighteen  inches  or  two  feet  apart,  and  a  couple 
of  inches  deep  ;  and  along  these  pour  the  manure,  hold- 
ing the  spout  of  the  watering-pot,  with  the  rose  taken 
off,  close  to  the  bottom  of  them,  that  the  liquid  may 
not  wash  the  earth  into  a  cream-like  consistence,  in 
which  case  it  would  cake  together,  and  intercept  the 
rays  of  the  sun  in  passing  through  the  surface  to  the 
roots.  When  sufficient  has  been  poured  into  one  drill, 
rake  the  earth  over  it;  and  proceed  in  like  manner  till 
the  whole  border  be  manured.  This  operation,  which 
should  be  done  in  the  latter  part  of  the  day  as  soon  as 
the  sun  has  ceased  shining  on  the  border,  may,  if  the 
state  of  the  weather  require  it,  be  repeated  every  two 
or  three  days,  from  the  time  the  fruit  is  first  set  until 
it  becomes  ripe,  and  it  will  be  found  very  beneficial  in 
promoting  the  swelling  of  the  berries. 

August  12th. — As  the  berries  are  now  rapidly  in- 
creasing in  size,  the  thinning  of  them  must  be  attend- 
ed to  every  seven  days,  and  if  oftener,  the  better. 
This  is  rendered  necessary,  in  consequence  of  the 
unequal  manner  in  which  they  sometimes  swell .  If 
the  berries  on  any  given  bunch  be  thinned,  so  that  the 
remaining  ones  are  all  equal  in  size,  it  will  generally 
be  found,  on  inspecting  it  five  or  six  days  afterwards, 
that  many  of  them  have  remained,  in  point  of  size, 
stationary  ;  while  others  have  grown,  perhaps,  twice 
as  large  as  when  previously  thinned.  In  consequence 
of  this  the  bunches  require  frequent  examination,  in 
order  that  all  such  berries  as  thus  appear,  by  their  in- 
ferior size,  to  have  been  deprived  of  their  portion  of 
nourishment  may,  as  speedily  as  possible,  be  cut  out. 
The  oftener  this  is  attended  to,  the  more  rapidly  will 
the  remaining  berries  increase  in  size,  and  the  finer 


124  WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER. 

will  be  their  flavour  when  ripe.  To  lay  down  any  rule, 
as  to  the  number  of  berries  that  should  be  cut  out  of 
any  bunch  of  a  given  weight,  is  impracticable.  I  have 
many  times  found,  that  of  bunches  of  the  Black 
Hamburgh  grape,  with  the  berries  well  set,  I  have, 
from  first  to  last,  cut  out  four  out  of  every  Jive  ;  while 
on  other  bunches  of  the  same  sort  having  their  berries 
not  so  thickly  set,  the  diminution  has  been  about  three 
out  of  five,  and  sometimes  not  more  than  two  out  of 
that  number.  The  best  general  rule  that  can  be  given 
is,  that  the  berries  during  the  whole  period  of  their 
growth,  until  after  they  have  made  their  last  swell, 
must  never  be  suffered  to  cluster,  or  to  press  the  sides 
of  each  other. 

August  19th. — Continue  to  nail  the  future  bearing- 
shoots  firmly,  and  keep  in  constant  check  all  tendrils, 
and  lateral  and  succession  shoots,  throughout  the  re- 
maining part  of  the  season.  The  growth  of  these 
will  now  begin  to  decrease  in  vigour,  in  consequence 
of  the  fluids  in  the  vessels  of  the  plant  being  partially 
diverted  in  their  course,  and  attracted  to  the  fruit. 

Keep  the  border  clear  of  weeds,  and  its  surface 
loose  and  open,  and  suffer  nothing  to  be  on  it,  or  near 
it,  that  can  in  the  slightest  degree  intercept  the  rays  of 
the  sun.  Solar  heat  is  now  the  grand  desideratum. 

If  the  atmosphere  be  dry  and  arid,  or  if  the  weather 
be  windy,  evaporation  will  proceed  at  a  prodigious 
rate,  and  unless  the  nights  be  still  and  serene,  and  the 
dews  very  copious,  the  balance  betwixt  absorption  and 
evaporation  will  be  destroyed.  To  supply  the  waste, 
therefore,  that  will  be  thus  occasioned  in  the  juices  of 
the  vine  during  this  critical  period,  let  the  foliage  and 
fruit  be  now  and  then  watered  after  sunset, and  also  the 
border,  in  addition  to  the  application  of  liquid  manure 
to  the  latter  as  before  directed.  The  atmosphere  contig- 
uous to  the  vine  will  be  thereby  rendered  humid,  and 


WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER.  125 

thus  offer  a  supply  of  moisture,  which  the  foliage  and 
fruit  will  quickly  and  most  advantageously  absorb. 

The  whole  strength  of  the  vine  will  now  be  put  in 
requisition  by  the  daily  increasing  size  of  the  berries. 
Pay  great  attention,  therefore,  to  the  thinning  of  them, 
and  use  the  scissors  very  freely.  Remember,  that  ev- 
ery berry  cut  out  leaves  its  share  of  nourishment  to  be 
divided  amongst  the  remaining  ones.  Leave  none  but 
the  largest  berries,  and  those  as  nearly  as  you  can  at 
•equal  distances  from  each  other  on  the  bunches,  bear- 
ing in  mind,  that  two  of  the  characteristics  of  a  fine 
bunch  of  grapes,  are  large  berries,  of  equal  size. 

August  26th. — Now,  as  the  period  of  ripening  hast- 
ens on,  the  full  benefit  of  the  sun's  rays  will  be  of  the 
greatest  advantage.  Take  care,  therefore,  that  no 
portion  of  the  fruit  be  shaded  by  more  than  the  con- 
sistence of  a  single  leaf.  If,  through  inattention  in 
training  the  shoots,  the  leaves  should  be  too  crowded 
in  any  part,  the  former  must  be  loosened  from  the  wall, 
and  re-nailed  at  a  proper  distance  from  each  other,  as 
the  leaves  must  not  on  any  account  be  pulled  off. 
Stripping  off  the  leaves,  for  the  purpose  of  exposing 
the  fruit  to  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun,  under  the  mista- 
ken notion  that  it  will  thereby  ripen  earlier,  is  a  prac- 
tice that  cannot  be  too  strongly  condemned.  The 
value  of  the  leaves  in  protecting  the  fruit  has  already 
been  pointed  out,  it  is  only  necessary,  therefore,  further 
to  remark,  that,  as  the  greater  portion  of  the  secretions 
of  the  plant  is  prepared  in  the  leaves,  every  leaf  that 
is  pulled  off,  not  only  greatly  injures  the  vegetation  of 
the  vine  ;  but  the  bud  at  the  base  of  the  footstalk  of  the 
leaf,  by  being  deprived  of  its  principal  source  of  nour- 
ishment, is  crippled  in  its  growth,  and  otherwise  seri- 
ously injured  in  its  vitality.  Moreover,  if  a  leaf  that 
is  growing  near  to,  and  on  the  same  shoot  as  a  bunch 
of  fruit,  be  pulled  off,  the  ripening  of  the  latter  will  not 


126  WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER. 

only  be  thereby  actually  retarded,  instead  of  being  hast- 
ened, but  the  berries  will,  in  consequence,  never  attain 
their  proper  size  or  flavour. 

Bloom  on  the  berries  will  begin  to  appear  about  this 
time,  in  consequence  of  which  the  bunches  must  be 
hereafter  handled  as  lightly  as  possible,  that  no  more 
of  it  may  be  rubbed  off,  than  can  well  be  avoided. 

Continue  to  use  the  scissors  freely  in  thinning  the 
berries,  which  must  on  no  account  be  neglected,  as,  in 
a  few  days,  the  operation  will  be  of  no  use.  Do  not 
suppose,  that  by  thus  continually  reducing  the  number 
of  the  berries,  the  weight  of  the  bunches  will  be  less- 
ened, for  quite  the  reverse  will  be  the  case  ;  if  the  thin- 
ning be  judiciously  performed,  every  bunch  will  ulti- 
mately weigh  more  than  it  otherwise  would  do,  were 
the  whole  of  the  berries  suffered  to  remain. 

The  grapes  are  now,  what  is  technically  called 
"stoning;"  that  is,  the  seeds  or  stones  enclosed  in  the 
berries,  being  in  the  last  stage  of  their  growth,  are  in 
the  act  of  being  perfected  ;  which  when  completed  is 
immediately  followed  by  a  change  of  the  pulp  from  a 
state  of  acidity  to  one  of  a  sugary  sweetness.  During 
this  process  of  stoning,  which  lasts,  in  general,  about 
twenty-eight  days,  the  berries  appear  to  be  at  a  stand 
in  their  growth,  and  do  not  perceptibly  increase  in 
size. 

September  "2nd. — Now  pinch  off  the  extremity  of 
every  future  bearing-shoot,  about  an  inch  beyond  the 
last  joint,  and  nail  the  shoot  firmly  directly  below  that 
joint.  This  operation,  by  stopping  the  sap,  causes  it 
to  accumulate  in  the  buds,  and  thereby  hastens  the  ma- 
turation of  the  wood.  The  sooner,  indeed,  the  future 
bearers  are  thus  stopped  in  their  growth,  the  better, 
but  if  done  before  this  time,  there  is  danger  that  the 
buds  will  prematurely  burst. 

As  the  berries  are  now   about  to  make  their  last 


WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL   REGISTER.  127 

swell,  the  thinning  of  them  must  be  completed.  Ex- 
amine  the  bunches,  therefore,  very  carefully,  and  if 
you  meet  with  any  berries,  about  which  a  doubt  may 
exist,  as  to  whether  they  ought  to  be  cut  out  or  not, 
give  the  vine  in  all  such  cases  the  benefit  of  that  doubt, 
and  cut  them  out  accordingly.  Be  assured,  that  by 
so  doing  you  will  ultimately  gain  both  in  weight  and 
flavour. 

September  9th. — The  process  of  stoning  being  com- 
pleted, the  grapes  will  now  begin  to  ripen.  This  will 
be  first  indicated  by  the  skins  of  the  berries  be- 
coming in  a  slight  degree  transparent,  and  in  black 
grapes,  also,  by  a  beautiful  purple  tinge  appearing  on 
those  that  are  the  most  forward.  As  soon  as  this 
change  takes  place,  no  reduction  of  the  number  of 
berries  on  a  bunch  will  increase  the  size  of  the  remain- 
der. 

They  should  be  finally  thinned,  therefore,  before 
they  begin  to  swell  off,  after  which,  indeed,  the  bunch- 
es should  never  be  handled  at  all,  except  for  the  purpose 
of  cutting  out  such  berries  as  may  from  time  to  time 
be  injured  by  insects,  birds,  or  otherwise. 

September  ~\  6th. — As  the  grapes  will  now  be  getting 
ripe  pretty  generally,  all  watering  must  cease,  both  of 
the  foliage  and  the  border.  A  moist  atmosphere  is  the 
most  favourable  to  the  growth  of  the  berries,  from  the 
period  of  their  setting  to  that  of  making  their  last 
swell,  after  which,  neither  the  atmosphere  nor  the  soil 
can  be  well  too  dry. 

Large-sized  bunches,  or  such  as  weigh  not  much  less 
than  a  pound,  must  now  be  eased  in  their  position, 
previously  to  their  becoming  fully  ripe.  To  do  this, 
unnail  each  shoot  on  which  a  bunch  of  this  description 
may  be  hanging,  to  the  extent  of  about  a  foot  on  each 
side  of  it.  Then,  betwixt  the  shoot  and  the  wall,  and 
near  to  the  footstalk  of  the  bunch,  insert  a  piece  of 


128  WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER. 

wood  cut  in  the  shape  of  a  narrow  wedge  about  a  couple 
of  inches  in  length,  and  an  inch  and  a  half  in  depth  at 
the  thick  end,  or  deeper,  if  the  bunch  be  very  large. 
After  which  re-nail  the  shoot,  using  fresh  shreds,  as 
much  longer  than  the  former  ones  as  may  be  required 
to  give  full  effect  to  the  increased  distance  of  the 
shoot  from  the  wall.  This  precaution  is  very  neces- 
sary to  be  taken  with  respect  to  large  bunches  of 
grapes,  in  order  that  they  may  hang  as  perpendicular- 
ly as  possible,  and  be  thereby  prevented  from  resting 
their  whole  weight  against  the  wall,  which,  when  the 
berries  are  fully  ripe,  would  cause  many  of  them  to  be 
bruised  and  spoiled. 

The  change  which  the  pulp  of  the  fruit  undergoes,  at 
the  completion  of  the  ripening  process,  is  highly  inter- 
esting. It  is  marked  in  all  bunches  that  have  been 
properly  thinned,  by  an  extraordinary  increase  in  the 
size  of  the  berries,  in  a  short  space  of  time  ;  the  natu- 
ral consequence  of  the  sudden  expansion  of  the  pulp, 
arising,  partly  from  the  seed  being  perfected,  and, 
therefore,  no  longer  consuming  any  portion  of  it  for 
its  nourishment  j  and  partly  from  the  continued  action 
of  the  solar  rays  on  the  full-sized  berries.  I  have  fre- 
quently had  berries  of  the  Black  Hamburgh  sort,  swell 
in  size  in  the  course  of  a  few  days,  from  a  circumfer- 
ence of  two  inches  to  one  of  three,  being  an  increase 
of  one  half. 

Sept.  23rd. — As  the  nights  will  now  be  getting  longer 
than  the  days,  the  cold  will  increase ;  in  consequence 
of  which  the  border  must  not  be  forked  up  any  more, 
during  the  remainder  of  the  season.  Keep  the  surface 
of  it,  however,  free  from  weeds,  and  from  decayed 
leaves,  which  latter,  if  suffered  to  accumulate,  will  not 
only  intercept  the  rays  of  the  sun,  but  also  serve  as  a 
harbour  for  the  snails,  and  these  vermin,  if  not  pre- 


WEEKLY   CALENDARIAL   REGISTER.  129 

vented,  will  do  great  damage  to  the  fruit,  especially  in 
showery  weather. 

As  the  grapes  are  now  rapidly  approaching  to  ma- 
turity, they  will  present  a  sight  of  the  most  gratifying 
description.  The  beautiful  symmetry  of  the  berries, 
the  elegant  form  of  the  clusters,  and  the  graceful  man- 
ner in  which  they  are  suspended  from  the  branches, 
are  in  strict  unison  with  the  delicious  flavour  of  the 
fruit,  and  challenge,  alike,  our  grateful  admiration. 

Sept.  30£&.—  Examine  the  bunches  frequently,  for  the 
purpose  of  cutting  out  injured  and  decayed  berries, 
which,  if  suffered  to  remain,  will  quickly  affect  all  the 
adjoining  ones. 

The  fruit  will  now,  most  probably,  be  attacked  by 
birds  and  insects ;  if  so,  means  must  be  used  to  protect 
it.  If  a  few  wide-mouthed  bottles  containing  sugared 
beer,  be  hung  up  in  different  parts  of  the  vine,  great 
numbers  of  wasps  and  flies  will  be  enticed  into  them 
and  destroyed.  But  if  these  insects  be  very  numer- 
ous, this  will  only  prove  a  partial  protection.  The 
bunches  must  be  bagged,  or  the  entire  vine  covered 
with  bunting,  or  some  other  fabric  of  a  similar  des- 
cription, and  this  will,  at  the  same  time,  protect  the 
fruit  from  the  attacks  of  the  birds. 

If  the  former  mode  be  resorted  to,  the  best  sort  of 
bags  that  can  be  used  for  that  purpose,  are  those  made 
of  hair  cloth.  The  texture  of  these  being  open,  and 
their  fabric  stiff,  the  sides  of  them  stand  out  at  a  dis- 
tance from  the  berries,  and  thus  a  free  circulation  of 
air  is  permitted  round  the  surface  of  the  latter,  which 
has  the  effect  of  keeping  them  dry  and  in  good  pre- 
servation. If  hair  cloth  bags,  however,  cannot  be  pro- 
cured, crape  bags  may  be  used  instead ;  but  it  must 
be  observed,  that,  whatever  sort  may  be  used,  they 
must  be  taken  off  every  four  or  five  days,  in  order  to 
examine  the  bunches,  and  to  cut  out  decayed  berries, 


130  WEEKLY    CALENDAUIAL    REGISTER. 

if  any  should  appear.  It  is  necessary,  therefore,  that 
the  bags  should  be  made  large,  that  they  may  be  taken 
off  and  put  on  again,  with  ease  and  facility.  If  the 
bunches  of  fruit,  however,  be  numerous,  it  will  be 
much  easier,  and  better,  indeed,  to  protect  the  vine 
with  a  covering  of  bunting,  or  ieno,  or  of  some  other 
fabric  that  is  thin,  and  also  open  in  its  texture.  But, 
as  the  exclusion  of  air  thus  occasioned,  will  operate 
injuriously  with  respect  to  the  keeping  of  the  fruit,  if 
the  covering  be  continually  kept  on,  it  will  be  neces- 
sary to  remove  it  every  night,  and  replace  it  in  the 
morning ;  or,  if  it  be  temporarily  nailed  to  the  top  of 
the  wall,  which  is  the  better  way,  it  can  be  drawn  up, 
and  let  down  again  as  circumstances  may  require.  If 
this  be  not  attended  to,  it  will  be  found  that  the  cover- 
ing, by  excluding  the  air,  will  cause  the  fruit  to  lose  its 
flavour,  and  to  decay. 

It  must  also  be  mentioned,  that  rats  and  mice  are 
very  fond  of  grapes,  and  that  when  they  attack  them 
they  destroy  a  great  quantity  in  a  short  space  of  time. 
The  visits  of  these  vermin,  though  made  generally  in 
the  dark,  may  soon  be  detected,  by  laying,  in  the  even- 
ing, a  linen  or  other  cloth  along  the  border  close  to  the 
wall,  and  directly  under  the  fruit,  and  if  it  be  attacked 
by  them  in  the  night,  their  dung,  dropped  while  con- 
suming the  fruit,  will  invariably  be  found  on  the  cloth 
in  the  morning.  If  it  should  appear  that  they  infest 
the  fruit,  prompt  means  must  be  taken  to  destroy  them, 
for  they  travel  with  the  greatest  facility  over  every 
branch  of  the  vine,  from  one  extremity  of  it  to  the 
other,  and  will,  most  assuredly,  if  not  prevented,  speedi- 
ly devour  the  whole  crop.  Amongst  the  means  which 
may  be  resorted  to,  to  ensure  their  destruction  may  be 
employed  with  advantage,  the  laying  of  poison  on  the 
branches  contiguous  to  the  fruit,  and  also  the  setting  of 
traps  well  baited  with  fresh  toasted  cheese,  and  secured 


WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL   REGISTER.  131 

to  the  wall  close  to  the  main  branches  of  the  vine, 
along  which  it  is  supposed  they  go,  to  commit  their 
depredations. 

October  1th.  Continue  to  remove  decayed  leaves 
from  the  border,  and  suffer  nothing  to  accumulate  on 
it  that  can  either  shade  it,  or  harbour  the  snails.  If 
these  are  not  prevented,  they  will  soon  find  hiding 
places  in  the  vicinity  of  the  wall,  and  in  the  night,  and 
also  in  wet  weather,  will  crawl  up  the  surface  of  it, 
and  commit  great  havock  amongst  the  fruit.  To  pre- 
vent this,  the  wall  should  be  carefully  looked  over  every 
three  or  four  days,  and  when  the  weather  is  wet,  every 
day  will  not  be  too  often.  A  full-grown  shell-snail 
will  destroy  a  large  bunch  of  grapes  in  twenty-four 
hours.  This  fact  will  shew  the  necessity  of  looking 
sharply  after  these  vermin. 

Take  care  not  to  cut  any  of  the  fruit  until  it  be 
thoroughly  ripe.  This  is  so  often  done,  that  it  de- 
serves to  be  mentioned  as  one  of  the  many  capital 
errors  that  are  committed,  almost  universally,  in  the 
culture  of  the  vine.  There  is  a  certain  point  of  time, 
when  grapes  attain  their  highest  degree  of  maturity, 
but  that  is  not  when  they  first  appear  to  be  ripe,  but  a 
considerable  period  afterwards.  There  are  so  many 
circumstances,  however,  that  influence  the  ripening  of 
grapes,  on  open  walls,  that  it  is  impossible  to  lay  down 
any  rule  for  determining  the  precise  period,  when  they 
will  have  reached  their  extreme  point  of  maturity^ 
The  season,  the  soil,  the  culture,  the  sort  of  grape,  and, 
lastly,  the  aspect,  modified  as  this  is  by  a  variety  of 
local  circumstances,  either  accelerate  or  retzyrd  the 
maturity  of  the  fruit,  as  they  combine,  favourably  or 
unfavourably.  It  is  seldom  indeed,  that  all  the  fruit 
of  a  vine  becomes  ripe  at  the  same  period  of  tirne^ 
And  it  is  worthy  of  remark,  also,  that  every  bunch  of 
grapes  ripens  progressively,  beginning  first  at  what  is 


132  WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL   REGISTER. 

called  "  the  shoulders,"  or  that  part  next  to  the  foot- 
stalk,  and  proceeding  downwards  to  the  extremity  of 
the  bunch.  And  so  slowly  is  this  process  carried  on 
in  backward  seasons,  and  in  unfavourable  aspects,  that 
there  is  frequently  from  ten  to  fifteen  days'  difference 
in  the  time  betwixt  the  ripening  of  the  shoulders  and 
that  of  the  extremity  of  the  same  bunch  of  fruit.  And 
if  a  vine  be  over-cropped  to  any  extent,  its  vital  ener- 
gies will  be  exhausted  before  the  process  of  maturation 
is  completed,  in  which  case  the  extremities  of  ths 
bunches  never  ripen,  but  shrivel  and  decay.  Without, 
therefore,  venturing  to  give  any  very  specific  directions 
with  respect  to  the  vintage,  it  may  be  laid  down  as  a 
good  general  rule,  applicable  in  most  cases,  that  after 
the  period  when  all  the  berries  of  a  bunch  of  grapes 
have  first  become  apparently  ripe,  the  bunch  ought  to 
remain  on  the  vine  a  month  longer,  in  order,  that,  by 
the  continued  action  of  the  solar  rays,  the  watery  por- 
tion of  the  pulp  may  be  evaporated,  and  the  sugary 
portion  thereby  relatively  increased. 

It  is  of  great  importance,  also,  in  gathering  the 
fruit,  that  it  be  cut  in  dry  weather,  on  the  warmest 
days  that  can  be  selected,  and  not  till  after  the  morning 
dew  has  been  entirely  dissipated.  The  juice  of  grapes 
is  materially  concerned  in  these  respects,  for,  if  the 
weather  be  very  damp  and  foggy  for  two  or  three  days 
in  succession,  or,  if  a  heavy  rain  continue  for  twenty- 
four  hours,  or  longer,  the  water  in  the  berries  will  be 
considerably  increased,  and  their  flavour  and  sweet- 
ness proportionately  diminished. 

Such  branches  of  the  vine  as  have  no  fruit  on  them, 
should  now,  without  loss  of  time,  be  subjected  to  the 
operation  of  the  pruning  knife. 

October  14th. — In  dry  weather,  examine  the  bunches 
frequently,  and  carefully  cut  out  all  decayed  berries. 


WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER.  133 

Protect  the  fruit,  also,  as  fast  as  it  ripens,  from  the 
wasps,  flies,  &c. 

If  the  extremities  of  any  of  the  bunches  are  not 
yet  ripened,  cut  them  off  immediately,  as  the  few  ber- 
ries growing  on  them  will,  if  suffered  to  remain,  cost 
the  vine  a  greater  effort  to  mature  them,  than  three  or 
four  times  the  same  number  has,  that  are  situated  near 
the  footstalks. 

October  2lst. — Keep  the  border  clear  of  weeds,  and  as 
soon  as  decayed  leaves  appear  on  it,  remove  them  imme- 
diately, and  continue  so  to  do,  until  all  the  fruit  be  cut. 

The  beneficial  effects  of  shading  the  fruit  with  a 
continuous  surface  of  leaves,  will  now  be  distinctly 
seen.  Grapes  so  protected,  will  uniformly  be  found 
to  ripen  earlier,  to  be  larger  in  size,  and  bettej  flavoured, 
and  to  be  covered  with  a  bloom,  nearly,  if  not  quite, 
equal  to  that  on  grapes  ripened  under  glass.  The 
leaves  will,  also,  be  of  great  advantage  in  keeping  the 
fruit  dry  and  warm,  and  in  protecting  it  from  the  in- 
jurious effects  of  heavy  rains,  which  is  of  great  con- 
sequence ;  for,  if  the  fruit  be  kept  dry,  it  will  remain 
on  the  vine  in  good  condition,  and  preserve  its  flavour 
for  a  long  time  yet  to  come.  But,  if  it  be  exposed  to 
the  effects  of  every  rainy  day  and  night,  all  the  pre- 
vious good  culture  will  be  lost,  and  nothing  will  prevent 
a  great  portion  of  it  from  perishing,  independently  of 
the  consideration,  that  the  remainder  will  be  greatly 
deteriorated  in  flavour  from  the  effects  of  the  wet. 

In  gathering  the  fruit  as  it  becomes  ripe,  it  will  be 
best  to  choose  first  such  bunches  as  hang  within  two 
feet  of  the  ground,  the  berries  on  these  being  apt  to 
rot,  in  consequence  of  the  damp  exhalations  that  now 
begin  to  rise  from  it ;  and,  next,  all  such  as  are  on  the 
upper  part  of  the  wall  above  six  feet  from  the  ground, 
(if  the  wall  reach  that  height,)  these  being  exposed  to 
the  injurious  effects  of  the  wind  ;  thus  leaving  to  be 


134  WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER. 

gathered  last,  those  bunches  that  hang  from  twa  to  six 
feet  from  the  bottom  of  the  wall.  If  the  wall  have 
a  projecting  coping,  the  fruit  on  it  will  keep  much 
longer  than  on  a  wall  that  is  destitute  of  such  a 
protection. 

October  28th. — The  leaves  now"  begin  to  fall  pretty 
fast,  and  where  a  good  collection  of  vines  are  planted, 
the  great  variety  of  tints  and  shades  of  colour  of  the 
leaves,  in  their  different  stages  of  decay,  will  present 
a  pleasing  object  to  the  eye,  and  offer  to  the  mind  an 
interesting  subject  of  contemplation.  The  fine  dark 
purple  red  of  the  claret  grape  leaves,  contrast  charm- 
ingly  with  the  bright  yellow  shades  of  the  white  sweet- 
water,  and  the  rich  vermilion  tints  of  the  black  mus- 
cadine. 

November  &th. — As  long  as  any  bunches  of  fruit  re- 
main, they  must  be  examined  every  three  or  four  days, 
and  all  decayed  berries  carefully  cut  out. 

The  wasps  and  flies  that  now  remain,  will  be  too- 
weak  to  injure  the  fruit.  If,  covering  the  vine,  there- 
fore, bagging  the  branches,  have  been  resorted  to,  to 
protect  the  fruit,  it  should  now  be  discontinued,  and 
netting  substituted  in  its  stead.  Nets  offer  but  little 
obstruction  to  the  free  circulation  of  the  air,  the  bene- 
fit of  which  will  now  be  more  than  ever  necessary  to 
keep  the  fruit  dry.  In  putting  the  netting  on,  great 
care  must  be  taken  that  the  extremities  of  it  are  in 
close  contact  with  the  wall,  and  the  body  of  it  a  suf- 
ficient distance  from  its  surface,  that  the  birds  may  be 
prevented  from  getting  inside,  or  picking  the  berries 
through  the  meshes.  To  effect  this  latter  object,  pro- 
cure some  sticks  or  bits  of  lath,  about  a  foot  in  length, 
and  making  the  ends  smooth,  cut  a  notch  or  two  at  one 
end  of  each  of  them.  Put  the  smooth  ends  against 
the  wall,  and  the  notched  ones  against  the  netting, 
which  must  be  stretched  out  sufficiently  far  from  the 


WEEKLY    CALENDATCIAL    REGISTER.  135 

wall  to  admit  of  the  sticks  being  perpendicular  to  the 
•surface  of  it.  Place  the  cords  of  the  netting  in  the 
notches,  and  the  sticks  will  then  keep  their  position. 
The  netting  will  thus  be  in  a  strain,  and  at  a  sufficient 
distance  from  the  fruit  to  keep  it  out  of  the  reach  of 
the  birds.  These  precautions  will  be  found  necessary, 
as  the  delicious  flavour  of  the  grapes  now  makes  them 
an  object  of  intense  desire,  to  a  numerous  class  of  birds 
that  frequent  the  garden. 

These  little  feathered  creatures  having  been  industri- 
ously engaged,  during  the  preceding  part  of  the  year, 
in  rendering  the  most  important  services  to  man,  by 
destroying  the  larvae  of  a  host  of  insects  that  prove 
destructive  to  vegetation,  now  come  to  enjoy  their  share 
of  the  bounties  of  Providence;  and  it  would,  perhaps, 
be  difficult  to  prove  that  their  claim  is  not  as  well 
founded  as  that  of  the  lords  of  the  creation.  They  waste, 
however,  and  spoil  so  much,  in  comparison  with  what 
they  really  eat,  that  no  other  course  can  be  pursued 
than  that  of  rejecting  their  claim  altogether.  Amongst 
these  claimants,  the  blue  titmouse  (torn -tit),  parus  cce- 
ruleus,  will,  in  genera],  be  found  to  be  the  most  perse- 
vering. This  elegant  little  bird  visits  the  grapes  about 
the  middle  of  October,  and  selects  the  ripest  for  exami- 
nation. If  the  flavour  be  agreeable,  the  work  of  de- 
struction commences,  but  if  not,  an  interval  of  a  week 
or  ten  days  elapses,  when  a  second  examination  takes 
place,  and  the  fruit  being  then  ripe,  the  banquet  begins, 
by  his  attacking  invariably  the  finest  grapes  on  the  vine, 
and  consuming  about  a  sixth  part  of  each  berry,  leav- 
ing the  other  five-sixths  to  rot  and  waste.  After  this, 
he  never  ceases  to  pay  his  daily  visits,  as  long  as  a  sin- 
gle bunch  remains,  and  the  slightest  chance  appears 
of  a  possibility  of  getting  at  it. 

As  soon  as  any  shoots  are  divested  of  their  fruit, 
they  should  be  pruned  immediately. 


136  WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL   REGISTER. 

Nov.  1 1th. — Fall  of  the  leaf.  This  interesting  event 
takes  place  in  general  about  this  time.  In  well  shel- 
tered situations,  some  vines  will  retain  their  foliage  to 
the  end  of  this  month,  but  in  aspects  that  are  exposed 
to  the  effects  of  the  wind,  the  leaves  are  generally  shed 
in  the  early  part  of  it. 

After  the  grapes  have  been  deprived  of  the  protec- 
tion of  the  leaves,  they  begin  to  lose  their  weight  and 
flavour  ;J  but  if  the  aspect  be  favourable,  and  the  wall 
have  a  projecting  coping,  they  may  be  preserved  in 
pretty  good  condition  a  fortnight  or  three  weeks  longer, 
after  which,  however,  no  reliance  can  be  placed  on  the 
continuance  of  their  flavour,  although,  in  some  instan- 
ces, when  the  weather  is  very  favourable,  and  great 
care  is  used  in  keeping  the  grapes  dry,  and  in  protect- 
ing them  by  proper  coverings  from  the  effects  of 
severe  frosts,  they  may  be  kept  on  the  vine  in  tolerable 
preservation  till  the  beginning  of  January. 

Many  methods  have  been  devised  to  preserve  grapes 
after  they  have  been  cut  from  the  vine,  but  none,  that 
I  am  aware  of,  have  ever  proved  very  effectual.  The 
best  of  these,  however,  will  be  found,  I  believe,  to  be 
that  of  cutting  off  an  entire  branch  of  the  vine  with 
the  fruit  upon  it,  and  sealing  the  cut  end  with  sealing- 
wax,  and  then  hanging  it  up  in  a  dry  and  warm  room, 
in  which  there  is  a  pretty  free  circulation  of  air.  The 
greater  quantity  of  wood  that  the  branch  contains  be- 
hind the  last  bunch  of  fruit,  the  longer  will  the  latter 
keep ;  but  it  may  be  remarked,  that  with  every  pre- 
caution that  can  be  taken,  the  fruit  may,  in  general, 
be  preserved  much  better  by  letting  it  remain  on  the 
vine,  and  protecting  it  by  proper  means  from  the  seve- 
rity of  the  weather. 


GENERAL    AVTU3INAL    PRUNING.  137 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

GENERAL    AUTUMMAL    PRUNING. 

MANY  reasons  of  a  decisive  nature  point  out  the  au- 
tumn as  the  proper  season  for  pruning  the  vine.  When, 
by  judicious  management,  the  branches  of  a  vine  are 
kept  within  a  small  compass,  its  vegetative  powers  be- 
come exceedingly  vigorous ;  and  the  quantity  of  su- 
perabundant wood  that  is  necessary  to  be  cut  out  at  the 
close  of  every  season,  being,  in  general,  very  great  in  pro- 
portion to  that  which  is  retained,  the  number  of  chan- 
nels for  the  future  ascent  of  the  sap  becomes,  after  the 
general  pruning,  proportionably  limited.  In  conse- 
quence of  this,  the  sap  acquires  at  its  rising,  a  corres- 
ponding increase  of  strength  and  velocity  ;  and  unless 
the  vine  be  pruned  early  in  the  autumn,  in  order  that 
the  utmost  possible  period  of  time  may  intervene,  to 
harden  the  extremities  and  such  other  parts  of  the 
branches  as  the  pruning  knife  has  passed  over,  previ- 
ously to  the  ascent  of  the  sap  in  the  following  spring, 
the  sap,  at  its  rising,  will  burst  through  the  wounds, 
and  the  vine  will  bleed  profusely  at  all  points.  To 
guard  against  the  occurrence  of  this  very  injurious 
casualty,  there  is  no  other  way  than  to  prune  at  the- 
earliest  period  possible  in  the  autumn. 

The  sooner,  also,  that  the  vine  is  pruned  in  the  fall 
of  the  year,  the  earlier  will  its  buds  unfold  in  the  ensu- 
ing spring  ;  the  cause  of  which  may  be  thus  explained. 
The  buds,  fronvtheir  first  developement,  are  endowed 
with  the  power  of  attracting  a  sufficient  quantity  of 
the  juices  of  the  plant,  to  nourish  them,  and  to  promote 
their  growth.  But  this  power,  although  it  gradually 

L* 


138  GENEKAL    AUTUMNAL    PRUNING. 

increases  with  their  growth,  is  held  in  subjection 
throughout  the  summer,  by  a  similar,  but  superior 
power,  possessed  by  the  fruit,  which  in  an  extraordinary 
degree  diverts  the  fluids  of  the  plant,  and  appropriates 
them  to  its  own  growth  and  maturation.  As  soon, 
however,  as  the  fruit  is  ripened,  this  power  which  it 
previously  possessed  becomes  nearly  extinct,  and  the 
fluids  of  the  plant  are  then  chiefly  appropriated  to  the 
nourishment  of  the  buds,  and  to  the  growth  of  the  roots 
and  branches.  Now,  as  the  great  effort  of  the  vine  in 
ripening  its  fruit  is  made  either  before  the  autumnal 
equinox,  or  immediately  after  it,  while  the  sap  is  yet 
moving  pretty  briskly,  if  the  vine  be  pruned  shortly 
after  that  period,  the  sap  quickly  accumulates  in  the 
shoots  that  are  retained,  and  the  buds  attracting  it  very 
powerfully,  rapidly  advance  in  their  growth  and  ma- 
turation. They  thus  steal  a  march,  as  it  were,  on 
their  next  year's  vegetation.  But  if  the  vine  be  pruned 
too  early,  before  the  motion  of  the  sap  is  sufficiently 
weakened  by  the  declining  power  of  the  sun,  the  buds 
then  feed  themselves  to  repletion,  and  prematurely  burst. 
Hence  it  follows,  that  the  most  advantageous  period 
for  the  general  pruning  of  the  vine  must,  undoubtedly, 
be  that  point  of  time  when  the  sap  can  be  made  to  ac- 
cumulate in  the  buds  in  such  quantity  as  to  increase 
them  to  their  utmost  possible  size,  without  bursting  them. 
And  this  point  of  time  cannot  with  safety  be  considered 
as  having  arrived  till  the  first  of  October.  A  single 
branch  of  a  moderate-sized  vine  may  be  cut  out  or 
shortened  as  early  as  the  middle  of  September,  but  the 
whole  vine  cannot  be  pruned,  and  its  entire  body  of  sap 
thereby  suddenly  checked  in  its  motion,  before  the  ex- 
piration of  that  month,  without  incurring  very  great 
risk  of  bursting  the  buds,  independently,  also,  of 
giving  to  the  vital  powers  of  the  plant  an  injurious 
shock,  by  performing  such  a  severe  operation  prema- 
turely. As  soon,  however,  as  the  month  of  October 


GENERAL    AUTUMNAL   PRUNING.  139 

commences,  and  the  fruit  is  cut,  the  general  pruning 
should  be  done,  and  the  buds,  in  consequence,  increas- 
ing in  size  by  the  accumulation  of  the  sap,  become  there- 
by endowed  with  a  greater  degree  of  vitality  than  they 
would  otherwise  possess.  They  are  thus  enabled  to 
attract  the  sap  at  its  rising  with  more  power,  and  con- 
sequently to  expand  themselves  earlier  than  the  buds 
of  a  vine  pruned  later  in  the  season  ;  and  this  is  an 
advantage  not  to  be  estimated  lightly  in  a  country 
where  the  summers  are  barely  long  enough  to  ripen 
the  fruit. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing  reasons,  others  will  here- 
after incidentally  appear,  in  favour  of  early  autumnal 
pruning. 

In  giving  directions  for  the  general  pruning  of  the 
vine,  it  is  scarcely  possible  to  lay  down  any  rules  for 
the  guidance  of  the  pruner,  except  such  as  are  of  gen- 
eral application.  If  the  vine  has  been  attended  to 
throughout  the  summer  in  the  manner  directed  in  the 
Calendariai  Register,  there  will  be,  comparatively,  little 
to  do  at  the  autumnal  pruning.  As  vines,  however,  are 
managed  in  a  great  variety  of  ways,  it  appears  necessa- 
ry to  give  such  directions  as  will  apply  in  a  general  man- 
ner to  any  vine,  whatever  may  have  been  the  method 
in  which  it  has  been  previously  pruned  and  trained. 

Before  doing  this,  however,  a  few  observations  may 
be  made  relative  to  vines  that  have  been  suffered  to 
cover  a  disproportionate  extent  of  walling,  and  which 
have,  as  a  necessary  consequence,  a  great  number  of 
old,  naked,  and  barren  limbs.  Vines  of  this  descrip- 
tion, when  their  leaves  are  shed,  present  a  perfect  chaos 
of  useless  branches,  the  general  appearance  of  which 
bids  defiance  to  any  thing  like  systematic  pruning. 
To  give  any  directions,  therefore,  that  can  be  practically 
followed  ia  the  pruning  of  such  vines,  is  next  to  impos- 
sible ;  the  only  course  that  can  be  recommended 
to  be  adopted,  with  respect  to  any  vine  that  is  in 


140  GENERA*,    AUTUMNAL 

this  state,  is  to  cut  it  down  to  a  complete  stump 
By  doing  this  the  fruit  will  be  only  sacrificed  for  one 
season,  for  the  next  year  after  this  operation  has 
been  performed,  the  vine  will  send  forth  an  abun- 
dant quantity  of  the  finest  description  of  bearing- 
shoots,  which,  in  the  following  year,  will  produce  as 
much  fruit,  with  only  a  tenth  part  of  the  trouble  in  the 
management  of  it,  as  could  be  obtained  if  the  previ- 
ous course  of  culture  had  been  continued.  There  is 
no  other  way,  indeed,  of  renovating  a  vine  than  this, 
for  no  method  of  pruning  that  can  be  adopted  will 
ever  get  rid  of  the  old  blank  wood,  and  procure  in  its 
stead  a  proper  supply  of  bearing- wood  within  a  rea- 
sonable distance  of  the  stem.  Vines  that  are  cut  down- 
in  this  manner  will  frequently  produce  in  the  follow- 
ing summer  very  fine  bearing-shoots  upwards  of  forty 
feet  long. 

When  it  is  deemed  advisable,  therefore,  to  renew 
the  branches  of  a  vine  by  thus  cutting  it  down,  the 
best  time  to  perform  the  operation  is  the  latter  part  of 
the  month  of  November.  If  the  stem  be  short,  cut  it 
off  about  five  inches  above  the  ground,  but  if  it  be  long, 
leave  it  of  such  a  height  as  it  is  intended  to  train  the  fu- 
ture bearing- wood  to  ;  remembering,  that  whatever  por- 
tion of  the  naked  stem  be  left,  the  shoots  will,  in  gene- 
ral, be  emitted  from  the  upper  part  of  it.  As  soon  as  the 
vine  is  cut  off,  sear  the  wound  well  with  a  hot  iron,  and 
then  seal  the  surface  of  it  over  with  sealing  wax,  in  order 
to  prevent  the  sap  at  its  rising  from  bursting  through. 

In  the  following  spring  a  great  number  of  bulbs  will 
push,  near  the  top  of  the  stump,  and  these  being  allow- 
ed to  swell  sufficiently  to  show  their  relative  strength, 
as  many  of  the  strongest  as  are  required  should  be  se- 
lected to  remain,  and  all  the  rest  rubbed  off.  The 
shoots  being  carefully  trained  throughout  the  summer, 
will  present  in  the  autumn  an  abundant  choice  for  fu- 
ture bearers. 


GENERAL    AUTUMNAL    PRUNING.  141 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  THE  AUTUMNAL  PRUNING. 

1st.  Every  nail  must  be  drawn  from  the  wall,  and 
every  shred  taken  off  the  branches.  This  will  give  the 
vine  great  relief,  the  shreds  having  throughout  the 
summer  kept  those  parts  of  the  branches  which  they 
have  encircled  from  the  beneficial  influence  of  the  sun 
and  air.  They,  also,  become  the  receptacles  of  numer- 
ous insects,  and  if  woollen  shreds  have  been  used,  they 
are  very  retentive  of  moisture,  and,  if  suffered  to  re- 
main, would  chill  the  juices  of  the  vine,  and  thereby 
retard  its  vegetation  in  the  spring.  In  unnailing  the 
branches,  care  must  be  taken  not  to  draw  all  the  nails 
at  once,  as  the  former  would  be  then  left  destitute  of 
their  necessary  support.  Unnail  a  part  at  a  time, 
therefore,  arid  having  pruned  that  part,  re-nail  it  in  a 
temporary  manner,  before  any  other  part  of  the  vine  be 
pruned,  and  so  proceed  till  the  whole  be  pruned. 
Observe,  that  every  nail  before  it  is  drawn  must  be 
driven  farther  into  the  wall,  by  a  good  blow  or  two  on 
its  head  with  the  hammer,  in  order  to  disengage  it  from 
the  mortar ;  otherwise,  in  drawing  it  out,  portions  of 
the  mortar  which  adhere  to  it,  will  be  drawn  with  it,  and 
the  joints  of  the  wall  will  be  thereby  defaced  and  injured. 

2nd.  Ascertain  the  girt  of  the  stem,  and  calculate 
the  quantity  of  fruit  which  the  vine  can  mature  in  the 
following  year,  agreeably  to  the  scale  given  in  page 
35,  and,  assuming  (for  the  sake  of  making  the  opera- 
tion clear,)  that  the  strength  of  the  vine  is  equal  to  the 
maturation  of  fifty  pounds'  wieght  of  fruit,  the  num- 
ber of  buds  that  it  will  be  advisable  to  retain,  to  pro- 
duce  that  quantity,  will  be  from  ninety  to  a  hundred. 


142  GENERAL    AUTUMNAL    PRUNING. 

Now,  before  selecting  the  shoots  that  are  to  .contain 
this  number  of  buds,  means  must  be  taken  to  provide 
for  a  proper  supply  of  future  bearing-wood.  For  this 
purpose,  choose  some  of  the  strongest  current  year's 
shoots  that  are  situated  nearest  to  the  stem  of  the  vine, 
and  at  appropriate  distances  form  each  other,  and  cut 
each  of  these  down  to  the  two  lowermost  buds.  The 
number  of  shoots  to  be  thus  spurred,  must  not  be  less  than 
two,  nor  need  they  be  more  than  six.  Having  thus  pro- 
vided for  the  supply  of  future  bearing-wood,  proceed  in 
the  next  place,  to  select  the  shoots  that  are  to  be  retained 
as  fruit-bearers.  In  doing  this,  remember  that  good 
bearing-wood  is  almost  invariably  round  and  hard,  of 
a  good  size,  and  short- jointed,  with  large  prominent  buds, 
that  are,  in  general,  rather  round  at  their  extremities. 
Bearing  these  qualities  in  mind,  choose  such  shoots  as 
answer  this  description,  and  that  are  situated  nearest  to 
the  stem,  but  sufficiently  distant  from  each  other  to 
admit  of  their  fruiting  shoots  being  conveniently  trained 
in  the  next  summer,  without  being  crowded.  Shorten 
each  shoot  to  such  part  of  it  as  is  sound  and  hard, 
retaining  as  many  well-ripened  buds  as  possible.  Let 
the  shoots  be  situated  in  equal  numbers  on  each  of  the 
main  branches ;  for  instance,  if  the  vine  contain  only 
two  arms,  similar  to  figure  3,  (page  92,)  and  four  bear- 
ing-shoots be  retained,  let  two  be  situated  on  each  arm  ; 
also,  let  the  two  shoots  on  one  arm  contain  the  same 
number  of  buds,  or  nearly  so,  as  the  two  on  the  other 
arm.  Now,  count  the  buds  on  each  shoot,  omitting  the 
two  bottom  ones,  and  set  apart  the  required  number  on 
the  fewest  shoots  possible.  Having  done  this,  cut  all  the 
other  parts  of  the  vine  entirely  away,  retaining  only 
those  on  which  are  situated  these  bearing-shoots  and 
the  spurs  to  produce  future  bearers ;  the  main  object 
in  view,  being,  to  get  rid  of  the  greatest  quantity  pos- 
sible of  old  wood.  But  if  any  of  the  shoots  that  are 
to  be  thus  cut  away,  should  be  favourably  situated  for 


GENERAL    AUTUMNAL   PRUNING.  143" 

the  production  of  bearing-shoots  at  some  future  period, 
leave  on  all  such  the  lowermost  bud,  but  cut  all  the 
rest  out  close  to  their  respective  parent  branches. 

3rd.  Cut  out  from  the  bearing-shoots  that  are  re^ 
tained,  all  their  lateral  shoots,  close  to  the  bases  of  the- 
buds,  and  also  the  remaining  portions  of  the  tendrils 
and  footstalks  of  the  bunches  of  fruit,  (if  any,)  as 
well  as  all  excrescences,  and  every  portion  of  dead 
wood  that  remains  in  the  vine.  Prune  them  all 
smoothly,  close  to  their  parent  branches,  leaving  no  un- 
sightly ragged  edges  or  extremities  to  disfigure  the  vine. 

Ath.  If  any  part  of  the  outer  bark  of  the  stem  or 
branches  be  decayed,  which  will  be  easily  seen  by  its 
loose  and  ragged  appearance ;  peel  or  scrape  off  all 
such  parts  with  a  blunt-edged  pocket-knife,  taking  care- 
not  to  wound,  or  in  any  way  injure  the  live  bark. 
The  decayed  bark  having  lost  its  vitality,  and  with  it 
its  power  of  resisting  and  throwing  off  the  rain,  be- 
comes so  highly  retentive  of  moisture,  as  to  be  almost 
sodden  wet  throughout  the  winter  months,  especially 
if  several  layers  of  it  have  been  suffered  to  accumu- 
late. In  this  state,  if  permitted  to  remain,  it  speedily 
generates  moss,  and  becomes,  also,  the  receptacle  of 
innumerable  insects.  And  it  is  contrary  to  every 
known  principle  of  vegetable  life,  that  a  plant  like  the 
vine,  which  is  a  native  of  a  warm  climate,  should  ever 
flourish,  while  its  stem  and  branches  are  thus  encircled 
with  a  decayed  bandage,  covered  with  moss  and  satu~ 
rated  with  moisture,  which  constantly  chills  its  juices, 
and  thereby  paralyzes  the  beneficial  effects  of  the  sun 
and  air,  during  a  period  of  the  year  when  they  are  of 
the  last  importance  to  the  health  of  the  plant.  The  an- 
nual removal  of  the  decayed  bark,  therefore,  may  be 
regarded  as  a  point  of  culture,  that  tends  very  greatly 
to  promote  the  prosperous  vegetation  of  a  vine. 

5th.  The  barking  of  the  vine  being  finished,  the 
whole  operation  will  be  completed,  and  the  branches 


144  GENERAL    AUTUMNAL    PRUNING. 

must  then  be  nailed  to  the  wall  in  a  temporary  manner. 
In  doing  this,  remember  that  the  wind  has  very  little 
power  over  the  naked  wood,  and  that,  therefore,  a  few 
strong  shreds  nailed  firmly  over  the  branches  at  proper 
distances,  will  be  sufficient  to  protect  them.  Let  the 
bearing-shoots  be  nailed  on  those  parts  of  the  wall 
where  they  will  receive  the  greatest  portion  of  the 
sun's  rays,  without  any  regard  to  the  situation  which 
they  will  subsequently  be  made  to  occupy  at  the  winter 
training.  The  vine,  thus  pruned,  barked,  and  nailed, 
will  be  in  readiness  to  receive  the  influence  of  the  sea  - 
son  at  the  earliest  period  possible,  and  will,  throughout 
the  winter,  present  a  beautiful  appearance  of  dormant 
vegetation. 


WINTER   MANAGEMENT.  145 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

ON  THE  WINTER  MANAGEMENT  OF  THE  VINE. 

December  1st.— The  winter  being  the  proper  time 
to  manure  the  border,  let  it  now  be  lightly  forked  up, 
and  a  good  coating  of  manure  laid  over  it  about  six 
inches  deep,  which  will  answer  the  two-fold  purpose 
of  enriching  the  border,  and  protecting  the  roots  of  the 
vine.  It  has  been  already  stated,  that,  after  a  vine 
has  been  planted  a  few  years,  its  roots  will  make  their 
way  up  to  the  surface,  if  the  border  be  not  disturbed 
by  cropping  or  digging  ;  but  it  is  necessary  to  observe, 
that  when  they  are  so  situated,  their  tender  fibres  will 
inevitably  perish,  unless  protected  from  severe  weather, 
during  the  depth  of  the  winter.  To  prevent  this,  there- 
fore, and  also  to  keep  the  roots  as  warm  as  possible, 
the  border  should  be  covered  over  through  this  month, 
and  the  two  following  ones.  For  this  purpose,  long  stable 
manure  about  half  made  is  the  most  suitable,  as,  from 
its  spirituous  nature,  it  will  keep  the  soil  warmer,  and 
more  effectually  resist  the  frost  and  other  unfavourable 
atmospheric  changes,  than  any  other  description  of 
manure.  If  this,  however,  cannot  conveniently  be  pro- 
cured, the  next  best  covering  is  that  of  dead  leaves, 
which,  after  they  are  decomposed,  form  a  vegetable 
manure  of  the  most  fertilizing  description.  But  if 
these  cannot  be  obtained,  any  of  the  manures  men- 
tioned as  fit  for  top-dressing,  (page  62,)  may  be  sub- 
stituted. It  must  be  observed,  that,  as  the  roots  re- 
quire to  be  kept  as  dry  as  possible  in  the  winter,  liquid 
manure  should  be  used  very  sparingly  during  that 
period. 


146  WINTER    MANAGEMENT. 

The  roots  being  thus  protected,  nothing  more  is  re- 
quired to  be  done,  till  the  month  of  March. 

March  1st. — -If  the  season  be  forward,  the  vine 
must  now  be  permanently  trained)  but  if  otherwise, 
that  operation  may  be  performed  any  time  during  the 
next  fortnight.  Observe,  however,  that  as  soon  as  the 
buds  have  swelled  sufficiently  to  burst  the  extremities 
of  their  winter  covering,  the  vine  must  be  trained  im- 
mediately ;  for,  if  delayed,  the  buds  will  be  liable  o 
be  rubbed  off  in  bending  the  shoots,  and  nailing  them 
in  their  proper  positions. 

This  is  the  proper  time,  also,  previously  to  the  vine 
being  permanently  trained  for,the  season,  ^to  whitewash 
the  wall,  agreeably  to  the  directions  given  in  page  66. 

In  nailing  the  shoots  in  the  manner  directed  in  the 
chapter  on  Training,  use  fresh  shreds,  and  be  careful 
not  to  put  any  round  those  parts  of  the  vine  that  have 
been  at  any  previous  time  covered  with  shreds.  The 
training  being  finished,  remove  the  covering  from  the 
border,  leaving  as  much  of  it  to  remain  as  may  be  ad- 
vantageously mixed  with  the  soil.  Fork  up  the  border, 
and  mix  the  manure  Well  with  it :  after  which,  rake 
the  surface  very  smooth  and  clean. 

March  21  st.—+  As  soon  after  this  tirrie  as  the  weather 
is  dry,  salt  the  border.  For  this  purpose  procure  a 
gallon  of  salt  for  every  square  rod,  and  scatter  it  in  the 
same  manner  as  if  it  were  seed,  distributing  it  as 
equally  as  possible  over  the  entire  border.  Then  rake 
the  surface  very  lightly,  in  order  that  the  salt  may  be 
mixed  with  the  soil.  The  application  of  salt  to  a  vine 
border,  is  productive  of  the  most  beneficial  effects.  It 
prevents  the  growth  of  weeds,  destroys  the  worms, 
keeps  the  surface  open  and  clean,  stimulates  the  growth 
of  the  vine,  and  ultimately  enters  largely  into  its  con- 
stitution. Any  substance,  indeed,  of  a  saline  nature, 
the  roots  of  vines  seize  upon  with  the  greatest  avidity* 


WINTER    MANAGEMENT.  147 

If,  at  the  rising  of  the  sap,  the  vine  should  bleed  at 
any  of  the  wounds  made  by  pruning,  or  otherwise, 
put  a  piece  of  moistened  bladder  round  the  wounded 
part,  and  tie  it  closely  and  firmly  with  strong  thread 
well  waxed  with  bees'  wax. 


M 


148  ON    THE    PLANTING    OF   VINES. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

ON  THE  PLANTING  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  VINES  IN  THE 
PUBLIC  THOROUGHFARES  OF  TOWNS. 

[Note. — This  chapter  has  been  added  to  the  present  edition, 
for  the  purpose  of  promoting  the  culture  of  the  Vine  in  the  various 
towns  which  are  situated  in  the  midland  and  southern  parts  of 
England,  the  inhabitants  of  which  are  not,  in  general,  aware, 
that  that  valuable  plant  may  be  planted,  trained,  and  fruited 
against  their  houses  and  buildings  with  nearly  as  much  facility 
and  success  as  in  more  favoured  situations  in  the  country.  It  is 
true,  that  single  vines  may  already  be  found,  growing  here  and 
there  in  most  of  the  towns  in  the  above-mentioned  districts,  not 
excepting  the  metropolis  itself;  but  the  method  in  which  they  are 
cultivated  is  such,  as  not  only  to  render  them  very  unsightly  ap- 
pendages to  the  buildings  against  which  they  are  trained,  but  to 
reward  the  cultivator  with  only  a  small  portion  of  fruit,  at  the  dis- 
proportionate cost  of  a  vast  deal  of  time  and  trouble.  To  the  ne- 
cessary consequences  of  such  a  mode  of  culture,  the  fact  may,  no 
doubt,  be  attributed,  that  the  number  of  vines  growing  in  those 
situations  is,  comparatively  speaking,  so  very  small ;  such  exam- 
ples being  much  better  calculated  to  deter,  than  to  invite  imita- 
tion. 

Vines,  however,  cultivated  agreeably  to  the  directions  con- 
tained in  the  foregoing  pages,  produce,  annually,  large  quantities 
of  fruit,  within  a  small  extent  of  surface,  and  are,  moreover,  in 
any  situation,  and  especially  in  a  public  one  in  a  town,  exceed- 
ingly interesting  objects  to  behold  in  every  season  of  the  year. 
And  to  the  lover  of  nature,  what  sight  can  surpass  that  of  a  vine, 
covered  with  its  beautiful  foliage,  and  laden  with  its  elegant  and 
delicious  fruit'?  Even  to  those  who  reside  in  the  country,  and  are 
familiar  with  the  beauties  of  the  vegetable  world,  such  a  sight 
scarcely  ever  fails  to  impart  the  highest  gratification.  But  to  the 
inhabitants  of  a  town,  who  seldom  participate  in  any  species  of 
horticultural  enjoyment,  what  a  source  of  pleasure  would  it  not 
be,  to  witness  a  portion  of  the  surface  of  their  dwellings  covered 
annually  with  fine  crops  of  grapes?  And  who  can  contemplate, 
throughout  the  progress  of  every  returning  season,  the  beautiful 
elaborations  of  nature  in  the  successive  developement  of  the  bud, 
the  leaf,  the  blossom,  and  the  fruit  of  the  vine,  without  emotions 
of  the  purest  gratification  1 


I\    PUBLIC    THOROUGHFARES.  149 

Those,  and  those  only,  who  are  pent  up  within  the  precincts  of 
a  town,  and  perpetually  harassed  with  the  cares  of  business,  the 
calls  of  which  seldom  permit  them  to  quit  the  busy  haunts  of 
their  fellow-men  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  beauties  of  nature,  — 
such,  only,  know  how  cheering  to  the  feelings  is  the  contempla- 
tion of  the  growth  and  formation  of  even  the  most  trifling  produc- 
tion of  the  vegetable  kingdom.  To  all  such,  therefore,  the  culture 
of  the  vine  presents  a  means  of  enjoyment  of  the  most  gratifying 
description.  No  other  sort  of  fruit-tree  can  be  planted  with  the 
slightest  prospect  of  success  in  the  paved  and  public  streets  of  a 
town;  but  the  vine  surmounts  all  obstacles,  and  thrives  in  almost 
every  situation,  where  the  hand  of  man  is  held  out  to  protect  it 
from  injury,  and  to  guide  it  in  its  growth  by  a  judicious  course  of 
culture. 

In  order,  therefore,  to  facilitate  the  more  general  introduction  of 
vines  into  towns,  and  to  enable  such  of  the  inhabitants  thereof  as 
possess  the  requisite  local  advantage  of  site  and  aspect,  to  plant 
and  cultivate  them  against  their  premises,  the  following  additional 
directions  are  given.  It  may,  however,  be  remarked,  that  after  a 
vine  has  become  well  established  in  its  growth,  the  pruning,  train- 
ing, and  general  management  of  the  branches  and  fruit  are  the 
same,  whatever  may  be  the  situation  it  may  be  made  to  occupy  ; 
but  in  the  planting  of  vines  in  the  public  thoroughfares  of  towns, 
and  in  the  culture  of  them  during  the  first  two  or  three  subsequent 
years,  many  local  contingencies  that  are  incidental  to  such  ex- 
posed situations,  require  to  be  provided  for,  by  the  variation  of 
some  points  of  culture  from,  and  the  addition  of  others  to  the 
usual  routine  of  management  ;  and  to  point  out  the  former  and 
supply  the  latter,  is  the  object  of  the  present  chapter,] 


As  a  preliminary  remark  it  may  be  mentioned,  that 
that  part  of  the  vine  which  intervenes  betwixt  the 
roots  and  the  branches,  may  be  considered  as  the  stem, 
as  a,  &,  fig.  8  ;  and  that  part  where  the  stem  ceases 
and  the  branches  commence,  maybe  termed  the  fruit- 
ing point,  as  b,  Jig.  8.  It  may  also  be  remarked,  that 
it  is  not  of  important  consequence,  to  what  distance 
from  the  ground  the  stem  of  a  vine  extends,  and  at 
which  the  fruiting  point  commences  ;  whether  it  be 
one  foot,  ten  feet,  or  twenty-five  feet.  It  is  better, 

0*  TV*.     *  • 


150 


ON   THE    PLANTING    OF   VINES 


Pig.  8. 


without  doubt,  to  have  a  short  stem  rather  than  a  long 
one,  because  the  latter  will  annually  require  for  its 
support  a  greater  quantity  of  the  elaborated  juice  of 
the  plant  than  the  former,  but  where  local  circumstan- 
ces prevent  a  vine  from  being  trained  on  a  short  stem, 
it  must,  of  necessity,  be  trained  on  a  long  one. 

Vines  that  are  planted  against  any  description  of 
walls  that  bound  public  thoroughfares,  ought,  always, 
to  have  their  bearing  branches  trained  at  such  a  height 
from  the  ground,  as  shall  put  it  out  of  the  power  of 
mischievous  .persons  to  injure  the  foliage,  or  to  gather 
the  fruit.  For  these  reasons,  a  vine  that  is  to  be 
planted  in  such  a  situation  must,  previously  to  its  re- 
moval thither,  have  the  full  height  of  its  stem  already 
formed.  It  is  necessary,  also,  that  the  latter,  as  soon 
as  the  vine  is  planted,  should  be  protected  from  injury, 
by  being,  up  to  a  sufficient  height,  enclosed  within  a 
permanent  covering.  A  vine,  therefore,  that  is  suit- 
able for  this  purpose,  must  have  a"  stem  that  measures 
not  less  than  two  inches  in  circumference  when  re- 
moved, which,  if  growing  in  good  ground,  will  be  the 
size  of  one  about  three  years  old.  In  the  ordinary 
course  of  transplanting,  a  vine  of  such  a  size  would  be 
too  large,  on  account  of  the  severe  check  in  its  growth 


IN    PUBLIC    THOROUGHFARES.  151 

which  the  removal  of  it  would  occasion,  but  in  the 
present  case,  it  is  indispensable,  for  the  reasons  before 
mentioned,  that  the  stem  should  have  attained  that  size 
before  the  vine  is  transplanted. 

To  procure  a  vine  with  a  stem  of  this  description  al- 
ready formed,  a  strong  and  healthy  plant,  the  principal 
shoot  of  which  is  not  less  than  seven-eighths  of  an  inch 
in  circumference  at  the  bottom,  must  be  selected  in  the 
nursery  one  entire  season  before  its  removal.  It  should 
be  grown  against  a  wall  sufficiently  high  to  admit  of 
its  leading  shoot  being  trained  as  many  feet  perpen- 
dicularly, or  nearly  so,  in  the  following  summer,  as  it 
is  intended  to  fix  the  fruiting  point  at  from  the  ground, 
after  the  vine  shall  have  been  transplanted.  If  a  young 
vine  of  this  size,  however.,  cannot  conveniently  be  pro- 
cured against  a  wall,  one  planted  in  the  open  ground 
must  be  provided  in  its  stead,  in  which  case  a  strong 
stake,  of  the  requisite  height,  must  be  driven  firmly 
into  the  ground  near  to  it,  to  tie  the  leading  shoot  to 
during  its  growth  in  the  ensuing  summer. 

A  vine  of  this  description  having  been  selected,  cut 
it  down  at  the  proper  time  in  the  autumn  to  the  two 
lowermost  buds,  and,  in  the  following  year,  let  the 
training  and  general  management  of  it  be  the  same  as 
described  in  paragraphs  May  1*£,  and  July  I*/,  pages 
102,  103.  As  soon  as  the  leaves  are  shed  in  Novem- 
ber, cut  the  vine  back  to  such  a  height  as  it  is  intended 
that  the  fruiting  point  shall  be  fixed  at  from  the  ground, 
after  the  vine  shall  have  been  transplanted.  Then, 
to  form  the  naked  stem,  cut  out,  very  cleanly  and 
smoothly,  every  lud.  except  the  two  uppermost  ones, 
after  which  the  vine  will  be  in  a  proper  state  to  be  re- 
moved, and  the  sooner  that  is  done  the  better,  although 
any  time  previously  to  the  middle  of  February  will  do, 
if  it  cannot  copveniently  be  transplanted  before. 

Proper  directions  for  transplanting  the  vine  will  be 


152  ON    THE    PLANTING    OF   VINES 

found  in  pages  52  and  100-1 ;  to  which  may  be  add- 
ed, that  if  the  situation  in  which  the  vine  is  planted 
be  a  very  public  one,  and  such  as  to  admit  of  the  pos- 
sibility of  any  nuisance  being  committed  on  the  roots, 
the  following  precautions  must  be  adopted.  In  plant- 
ing the  vine,  fix  the  bottom  part  of  the  stem  of  it  within 
an  inch  and  a  half  of  the  wall,  and  in  replacing  the  sur- 
face covering,  let  it  extend  to  within  the  same  distance 
of  the  stem  on  each  side  of  it,  so  as  to  leave  a  space 
for  the  latter  to  grow  in,  of  about  three  inches  in 
breadth  each  way,  which  will  be  sufficiently  large  for 
the  stem  to  swell  freely  in  during  the  first  ten  years, 
after  which  that  space  can  be  enlarged  as  circum- 
stances may  require.  This  being  done,  the  covering, 
that  is  hereafter  described  as  necessary  to  be  placed 
over  the  stem,  must  be  made  to  come  down  at  the  bot- 
tom in  close  contact  with  the  surface  of  the  pavement, 
and  to  include  within  it  the  whole  of  the  space  above- 
mentioned,  so  that  no  part  of  it  shall  be  visible  on  the 
outside.  Then,  round  the  bottom  of  the  covering, 
where  it  meets  the  pavement,  work  in  a  little  mortar  or 
cement  of  some  description,  so  as  to  prevent  the  possi- 
bility of  any  fluid  of  a  destructive  nature  being  intro- 
duced to  the  stem  or  roots  of  the  vine.  These  precau- 
tions with  respect  to  vines  planted  in  the  public 
thoroughfares  of  towns,  will  be  found  indispensable,  as 
the  roots  of  them  would  otherwise  be  constantly  liable 
to  be  injured  by  careless  or  mischievous  persons. 

As  soon  as  the  vine  is  transplanted,  (assuming  the 
site  to  be  an  open  one  and  in  a  public  thoroughfare,) 
its  stem  must  be  protected  by  a  covering  being  put 
over  it  to  such  a  height  from  the  ground  as  will  ensure 
its  preservation  from  injury.  Perhaps,  the  best  de- 
scription of  covering  for  this  purpose  will  be  one  made 
of  three  slips  of  wood  of  the  required  height,  and  each 
about  four  inches  in  breadth,  and  put  together  so  as  to 
form  three  sides  of  .a  .square,  the  surface  of  the  wall  to 


IN    PUBLIC   THOROUGHFABES.  153 

be  enclosed  by  them,  forming  the  fourth  side.  The 
stem  of  the  vine  being  enclosed  in  this  covering,  the 
latter  must  be  secured  to  the  wall  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  admit  of  its  being  opened  when  required,  for  the 
purpose  of  divesting  the  stem  of  its  decayed  bark, 
which  operation  ought  to  be  performed  at  the  autumn 
of  every  third  year.  If  a  shoot  should  at  any  time 
grow  out  of  the  naked  stem,  it  must  be  rubbed  off  im- 
mediately it  appears.  As  soon  as  the  stem  is  thus  en- 
closed, it  should  be  nailed  firmly  to  the  wall  just  above 
the  top  of  the  covering,  but  no  fastening  of  any  de- 
scription should  be  put  round  that  part  of  the  stem  that 
is  within  the  covering.  The  vine  being  thus  protected, 
will  not  require  any  further  attention  during  the 
winter. 

Throughout  the  next  summer  it  must  be  managed  in 
precisely  the  same  manner  as  in  the  preceding  summer 
previously  to  its  removal,  and  at  the  fall  of  the  leaf  the 
current  year's  shoot  must  be  cut  back  to  the  three  low- 
ermost buds,  for  the  purpose  of  having  two  leading  shoots 
permanently  retained  in  the  following  year. 

After  the  vine  has  been  thus  cut  down  to  the  three 
bottom  buds,  it  will  correspond  to  that  mentioned  in 
paragraph,  Nov.  1st,  page  104,  and  its  future  manage- 
ment, therefore,  must  be  agreeable  to  the  directions 
that  follow  those  given  under  that  date  ;  the  culture, 
hereafter,  being  the  same  as  that  of  a  vine  trained 
against  a  garden  wall. 

It  must,  however,  be  observed,  that,  as  the  spare  sur- 
face on  which  a  vine  can  conveniently  be  trained,  in 
the  front  of  any  house  or  other  building  situated  in  a 
public  thoroughfare  of  a  town,  must  necessarily  be  of  a 
limited  height,  the  shoots  had  better  be  annually  trained 
in  a  horizontal  position,  as  represented  by  figure  4, 
page  94.  Also,  if  a  vine  cannot  conveniently  be 
planted  otherwise  than  at  the  end  of  any  side  of  a 
building,  it  cannot,  of  course,  have  more  than  one  hor- 


154  ON    THE    PLANTING    OF    VINES 

izontal  branch  from  which  the  bearing  shoots  are  to 
proceed. 

Only  one  other  contingency  now  remains  to  be  pro- 
vided for,  and  that  is,  where  local  circumstances  ren- 
der it  necessary,  that  a  vine  should  be  trained  on  a 
different  side  of  a  building,  to  that  on  which  it  is 
planted.  In  such  a  case,  there  is  a  sharp  corner  to  be 
turned  in  training,  and  although  this  is  not  a  difficult 
matter  to  accomplish,  yet,  to  ensure  success,  it  must  be 
managed  with  care,  and  in  a  proper  manner. 

The  flexibility  of  the  young  shoots  of  vines  is  well 
known,  but  there  is  only  one  period  in  the  growth  of  a 
shoot,  during  which  it  can  be  made  to  bend  round  the 
rectangular  corner  of  a  building,  and  that  is  in  the  au- 
tumn or  winter  immediately  following  the  summer  of 
its  first  growth  and  formation.  For  instance,  a  green 
shoot  that  is  emitted  from  a  vine  in  the  spring  of  the 
present  year  1843,  will  be  fully  ripe  at  the  fall  of  the 
leaf  in  November  ;  the  time,  therefore,  that  intervenes 
betwixt  that  event  and  the  middle  of  March  in  the 
next  year  1844,  is  the  only  period  in  the  existence  of 
that  shoot,  in  which  it  will  be  sufficiently  flexible  for 
the  purpose  above-mentioned.  Whenever  it  becomes 
necessary,  therefore,  to  train  the  fruiting  branches  of 
a  vine  on  a  different  side  of  a  building  to  that  on  which 
it  is  planted,  the  leading  or  connecting  limb  must  be 
trained  round  the  corner,  (there  to  remain  perma- 
nently,) some  time  during  the  period  of  its  growth  be- 
fore-mentioned.  And  in  all  such  cases  this  operation 
had  better  be  performed  in  the  autumn  succeeding  the 
first  summer's  growth  of  a  vine  after  it  has  been  trans- 
planted, because  the  shoot  to  be  bent  will  then  be  com- 
paratively small  and  weakly,  and  consequently  much 
more  flexible  than  the  shoot  of  any  subsequent  year, 
after  the  vine  has  recovered  from  the  check  which  its 
growth  has  experienced  by  transplantation.  To  perform 
this  operation,  then,  observe  the  following  directions. 


IN  PUBLIC  tiroKCUGii?AtiEs.  155 

First,  procure  a  coarse  file  or  rasp,  and  having 
fixed  on  the  exact  part  of  the  corner  of  the  building 
round  which  the  shoot  is  to  be  trained,  file  a  small  por- 
tion of  the  edge  away  in  the  form  of  a  segment  of  a 
circle  about  three  quarters  of  an  inch  deep,  rounding 
off  the  edges  of  the  circular  part,  so  as  to  make  the 
surface  of  it  over  which  the  shoot  is  to  be  trained,  as 
smooth  and  as  round  as  possible.  The  shoot  could  not 
be  bent  round  the  corner  without  a  portion  of  the  latter 
being  thus  filed  away,  but  it  can  be  done  a  great  deal 
easier  with  it. 

Secondly,  then  take  the  shoot  in  both  hands,  and  in 
a  very  gradual  and  cautious  manner,  bend  it  a  little  at 
a  time  until  it  is  made  to  assume  a  sufficient  degree 
of  curvature  to  answer  the  required  purpose.  As  soon 
as  this  is  the  case,  cut  out,  very  smoothly,  all  the  buds 
that  are  on  the  shoot  betwixt  the  stem  of  the  vine  and 
the  corner  of  the  budding ;  after  which  nail  that  part 
of  the  shoot  firmly  to  the  wall.  Then  laying  the 
shoot  in  the  groove  at  the  corner  prepared  for  it,  bend 
the  terminal  part  of  it  very  slowly  and  carefully  to- 
wards the  other  side  of  the  wall,  and  when  you  have 
got  the  second  bud  from  the  corner,  within  about  two 
inches  of  the  surface  of  the  wall,  put  a  strong  shred 
round  the  shoot  just  behind  that  bud,  and  nail  it  to  the 
wall  in  that  position.  If  it  were  brought  closer  to  the 
wall,  it  would  be  in  danger  of  snapping  asunder.  Then 
cut  the  shoot  back  to  within  an  inch  of  the  second 
bud,  leaving,  thereby,  no  more  buds  than  the  two  al- 
ready named.  The  shoots  that  will  proceed  from 
these  buds  in  the  following  summer,  can  easily  be 
trained  close  to  the  wall  in  the  desired  direction ;  and 
at  the  ensuing  winter  training,  the  small  portion  of  the 
shoot  near  the  corner  may  then  be  brought  close  to 
the  surface  of  the  wall  without  danger. 

Thirdly,  if,  notwithstanding  these  precautions,  the 


156  VUfES  IN  PUBLIC  THOROL'QHPAEES. 

shoot  should  break  during  the  operation,  there  will  yet 
be  some  portion  of  the  bark  of  the  inner  side  of  it, 
that  will  connect  the  parts  together,  and  this,  if  man- 
aged in  the  following  manner,  will  ultimately  re-unite 
the  broken  parts.  Take  a  piece  of  thick  woollen 
cloth  about  six  inches  long  and  four  broad,  and,  bind- 
ing it  firmly  round  the  shoot  where  it  is  broken,  tie  it 
closely  with  small  packthread  at  each  end,  but  not  in 
the  middle  where  the  breach  is.  The  object  of  this  is  to 
keep  the  air  from  the  wound,  and  also  the  parts  moist, 
which  is  effected  by  the  bandage  being  of  woollen, 
the  inner  folds  of  which  will  scarcely  ever  be  dry, 
even  in  the  hottest  weather.  If  this  bandage  be  put 
on  carefully,  the  parts  will  firmly  re-unite  by  the  close 
of  the  next  growing  season,  and  it  may  then  be  taken 
off. 


CATALOGUE    OF    GRAPES,    &C.  157 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Descriptive  Catalogue  of  twelve  sorts  of  Grapes  most 
suitably  adapted  for  culture  on  open  walls. 

1.  Black  Hamburgh. — Bunches  rather   large,   and 
handsomely   shouldered.      Berries  hang    loosely    on 
the  bunches,  oval-shaped  in   general,  and  when  well 
thinned,  measure,  when  ripe,  from  two  inches  and   a 
half,  to  three  inches  and  a  half  in  circumference.  Skin 
rather  thick,  very  nearly  black,  and  if  well  shaded  with 
leaves,  covered  with   a   beautiful  blue   bloom.     Pulp 
fleshy,  sweet,  and  of  a  rich  vinous  flavour.     Ripens  in 
a  south-eastern  aspect,  about   the  middle  of  October, 
and  may  be  easily  kept  on  the  vine  in  good  preserva- 
tion till  Christmas. 

As  a  splendid  table  fruit,  this  is,  in  every  respect,  one 
of  the  most  valuable  grapes  that  can  be  grown  on  open 
walls.  It  is  a  prolific  bearer,  hardy  in  its  nature,  and 
under  judicious  culture,  will  ripen  with  as  small  a  por- 
tion of  direct  solar  heat  as  any  grape  we  have. 

2.  Black  Prince. — Bunches  large,  long,  -and  in  gene- 
ral  well  shouldered.     Berries  oval,    and   when   well 
thinned,  nearly  as  large  as  those  of  the  Black  Ham- 
burgh.      Skin  rather  thick,  very    dark    purple,    and 
covered  with  a  thick  blue  bloom.     Pulp  fleshy,  juicy, 
and    well-flavoured.       Ripens  in  a   south-eastern  as- 
pect about  the  middle  of  October. 

This  is  a  very  fine  grape,  and  nearly,  if  not  quite, 
equal  to  the  Black  Hamburgh. 


158  CATALOGUE    OF    GRAPES 

3.  Esperione. — Bunches  and  berries  closely  resem- 
ble, in   size  and  shape,  the  Black  Hamburgh.     Skin 
nearly  black,  and  covered  with  a  blue  bloom.     The 
pulp,  which  adheres  to  the  skin,  is  pleasant  and  well- 
flavored.  The  leaves  die  upon  the  vine  of  a  rich  orange 
hue. 

The  Esperione  Vine  is  very  hardy,  extremely  proli- 
fic, and  ripens  its  fruit  perfectly  in  any  season,  how- 
ever unfavourable. 

4.  Black  Muscadine. — Bunches  medium-sized,  and 
rather  long.    Berries  round.    Skin  black,  and  covered 
with  a  very  thick  blue  bloom,  which  gives  the  bunches 
a  beautiful  appearance.     Pulp  juicy,  and  when  well 
ripened,  of  a  good  flavour. 

This  is  a  very  prolific  bearer,  but  it  requires  a  good 
aspect  to  ripen  it  perfectly. 

5.  Miller's  Burgundy. — Bunches  short,  thick,  and 
small.     Berries  small,   rather  oval,  black,   and  grow 
very   close   on    the   bunches.     Skin  rather  thin,  and 
covered  with  a  blue  bloom.     Pulp  juicy,  very  sweet, 
and  high  flavoured. 

This  is  a  vtry  hardy  and  prolific  grape,  and  ripens 
perfectly  in  any  season.  Its  leaves,  which  are  very 
thick,  distinguish  it  from  every  other  sort,  being  cov- 
ered on  both  sides  with  a  hoary  down,  which,  when 
they  are  young,  is  nearly  white  ;  hence  it  is  called 
the  Millers  Grape. 

6.  Claret  Grape. — Bunches  small  and  thick.     Ber- 
ries black,  small,  rather  oval,  and  closely  set.     Skin 
rather  thick,  and  generally  covered  with  a  bluish  bloom. 
Pulf)  juicy.     Juice  of  a  blood   red  colour,  but  of  a 
harsh  taste  unless  perfectly  ripened. 

It  requires  a  good  aspect. 

This  is  a  very  fine  wine  grape.  Early  in  the  sum- 
mer, its  leaves  change  to  a  russet  red,  and  die  in  the 
autumn,  of  a  deep  purple  blood  colour. 


ADAPTED    TO    OPEN    WALLS.  159 

7.  Black   Frontignan. — Bunches  small.      Berries 
round,  small,  and  thickly  set.  Skin  black,  and  covered 
with  a  light  blue,  or  violet  bloom.     Pulp  juicy,  and  of 
a  rich  vinous  musky  flavour. 

8.  Grizzly   Frontignan. — Bunches   medium-sized, 
with  small  shoulders.     Berries  round,  and  of  a  light 
brown  colour,  intermixed  with  red  and   yellow.     The 
juice  is  excedingly  rich,  and  possesses  a  high  musky 
perfumed  flavour. 

9.  White  Frontignan. — -Bunches  long,   and  occa- 
sionally shouldered.  Berries  round,  rather  large,  pretty 
closely  set,  of  a  dull  greenish  yellow,  and  covered  with 
a  whitish  powdery  bloom.     Pulp  juicy,  sweet,  very 
rich,  with  an  exquisite  musky  flavour. 

The  flavour  of  this  and  the  two  preceding  grapes  is 
so  extremely  delicious,  that  no  g.)od  vine  wall  should 
be  without  them.     They  ripen  well  when   the  aspect 
'  is  good,  and  the  soil  very  dry ;  but  being  thin-skinned, 
and  constitutionally  disposed  to  decay  after  they  be- 
come fully  ripe,  they  cannot  be  kept  long  on  the  vine  : 
particularly  if  the  wall  against  which  they  are  growing 
be  destitute  of  a  projecting  coping. 

10.  White      Muscadine. — Bunches     middle-sized, 
shouldered,  and  handsomely  formed.     Berries  round, 
and  rather  large.     Skin  thin,  and  if  exposed  to  the  di- 
rect rays  of  the  sun,  acquires,  when  fully  ripe,  a  yellow- 
ish  brown  colour.    Pulp  juicy,  rich,  and  well-flavoured. 

This  is  an  exceedingly  fine  grape,  and  a  prolific 
bearer  ;  and  from  its  hardy  nature,  and  the  certainty 
with  which  it  ripens  in  any  season,  it  may  be  con- 
sidered as  the  best  white  grape  that  can  be  grown  on 
open  walls. 

11.  Malmsey  Muscadine. — This  resembles  the  pre- 
ceding,  except   that  the  berries  are  smaller,  and  the 
bunches   *iot  so  regularly  formed  ;    but   the  juice  is 
sweeter,  and  possesses  a  higher  flavour. 


160  CATALOGUE    OF    GRAPES,    &C. 

12.  White  Sweetwater. — Bunches  middle-sized. 
Berries  large,  ronnd,  and  grow  close  upon  the  bunches. 
Skin  thin,  and  when  exposed  to  the  sun,  and  fully  ripe, 
pretty  thickly  set  with  spots  of  a  light  russet  colour. 
Pulp  very  juicy  and  luscious. 

This  is  a  delicious  grape,  but  owing  to  its  tenderness 
when  in  blossom  the  berries  set  very  unevenly  on  the 
bunches. 

If  it  be  desired  to  have  a  very  early  sort,  to  the  pre- 
ceding may  be  added,  the  Early  Black  July,  which, 
though  the  bunches  and  berries  are  small,  and  the  lat- 
ter,  in  general,  unevenly  set,  is  a  very  sweet,  and  also 
a  well-flavoured  grape. 

It  would  be  easy  to  increase  this  catalogue  numeri- 
cally, if  it  were  necessary,  but  such  a  course,  if  adopt- 
ed, would  only  bewilder  the  cultivator,  and  render  it 
a  difficult  matter  for  him  to  choose  those  sorts  which 
experience  has  proved  are  most  appropriately  adapted 
for  culture  on  open  walls.  The  sorts  here  enumerated 
embrace  almost  every  variation  in  flavour,  colour,  and 
size  of  berry  that  can  be  perfectly  ripened  in  the  open 
air. 


A 

DESCRIPTIVE   ACCOUNT 

OP 

&n  Xmprobefc  ptet&olr 

OP 

PLANTING  AND  MANAGING  THE  ROOTS 

OP 

GRAPE   VINES. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 

IN  submitting  to  the  public  the  following  pages,  the  author 
is  aware  that  he  is  promulgating  principles  and  modes  of  prac. 
tice  with  reference  to  the  culture  of  the  Vine,  that  are  some, 
what  at  variance  with  commonly  received  notions. 

It  may  not,  therefore,  be  altogether  unnecessary  for  him  to 
observe,  that  he  has  not  recommended  any  point  of  culture  or 
particular  routine  of  practice,  the  merits  and  advantages  of 
•which  he  has  not,  himself,  for  years  repeatedly  and  carefully 
tested. 

The  object  which  the  author  has  in  view  in  the  present  pub- 
lication, is,  again  to  contribute  what  little  assistance  he  has  it 
in  his  power  to  render,  towards  improving  the  culture   of  the 
Vine,  and  placing  it  on  a  firm  and  certain  basis,  by  the   diffu- 
sion of  those  sound  and  definite  principles,  which  are  the  never- 
failing  offspring  of  carefully  acquired  experimental  knowledge. 
Shirley  Vineyard,  Southampton, 
July,  1844. 


ON  PLANTING  AND  MANAGING  THE  ROOTS 
OF   GRAPE  VINES. 


IN  the  various  operations  of  Practical  Horticulture, 
more  especially  in  the  culture  of  exotic  fruits,  there  are 
certain  fundamental  principles  established  by  nature, 
which,  if  not  strictly  adhered  to  by  the  operator,  will 
render  all  his  efforts  of  a  doubtful  and  uncertain  issue. 
One  of  these  leading  principles  is,  that  every  exotic 
fruit  tree  should  be  placed  in,  and  surrounded  by,  such 
atmospheric  and  terrestrial  conditions  as  it  enjoys  in 
its  native  climate  and  country.  And  the  closer  the 
approximation  be  made  to  these  conditions,  the  nearer 
to  the  standard  of  perfection  will  the  fruit  of  any  re- 
spective  exotic  tree  arrive. 

And  these  observations  apply  pre-eminently  to  the 
grape  vine,  in  the  glass  culture  of  which,  in  England, 
artificial  means  have  been  successfully  resorted  to, 
to  surround  its  branches  and  fruit  with  atmospheric 
conditions  similar  to  those  it  enjoys  in  its  native  coun- 
try, but  no  definite  or  effectual  method  has  hitherto 
been  adopted  for  conferring  on  the  roots  the  same  ad- 
vantages. 

It  is  the  object,  therefore,  of  the  following  pages,  to 
promulgate  a  method,  of  easy  practical  application,  by 
which  this  disparity  that  has  heretofore  existed  will  be 


166  ON    PLANTING    AND    MANAGING 

considerably  lessened,  by  planting  the  roots  of  vine 
in  drier  and  warmer  materials  than  common  soil. 

The  grape  vine  in  whatsoever  part  of  the  world  it 
may  be  growing,  whether  in  its  native  country,  or  on 
the  confines  of  the  torrid  zone,  or  at  the  extreme  limit 
of  the  vinous  latitude  in  either  hemisphere,  delights 
most  in  rocky,  stony,  or  gravelly  soils,  and  it  is  in  soils 
of  this  description  that  grapes  are  brought  to  a  far 
higher  degree  of  perfection  than  in  any  other  description 
of  soil  whatever.  On  examination,  the  reason  will  be 
obvious.  The  vine,  from  the  succulent  nature  of  its 
shoots  while  they  are  yet  green,  and  in  the  course  of 
formation  throughout  the  summer,  requires,  during 
that  period,  a  constant  supply  of  moisture  for  the  roots 
to  feed  upon  ;  and  that  particular  degree  of  moisture 
which  has  been  found  by  experience  to  produce  in  a 
vine  a  suitable  growth,  accompanied  by  a  healthy  and 
perfect  developement  of  its  fruit-bearing  powers,  is  al- 
ways present  in  soils  of  the  above-mentioned  descrip. 
tion.  And  this  constant  presence  of  moisture  arises 
from  the  fact,  that  fragments  of  rocks,  stones,  or  other 
similar  hard  substances,  when  embedded  in  the  soil, 
always  attract  moisture  to  their  surfaces,  which  are 
therefore,  in  consequence,  never  dry.  Hence  the  roots 
of  vines  delight  to  ramble  in  such  soils,  in  preference 
to  all  others,  because  they  derive  therein  a  steady,  con- 
stant, and  equable  supply  of  moisture  throughout  all  the 
variations  of  the  season,  as  free  from  excess  on  the  one 
hand,  as  from  a  deficiency  on  the  other.  Soils,  there- 
fore, that  contain  the  greatest  quantity  of  these  mate- 
rials, so  disposed  or  placed  together,  whether  by  na- 
ture or  art,  as  to  present  to  the  roots  of  the  vine  the 
greatest  possible  extent  of  surface  within  a  given 
space,  are  precisely  those  which  are  adapted  for  the 
successful  culture  of  the  vine. 

In   the    hottest  countries    of  the  vinous   latitude, 


THE    ROOTS    OF    GRAPE    VINES.  167 

soils  of  this  description  invariably  produce  the 
finest  flavoured  grapes  ;  and  if  the  roots  of  vines  grow- 
ing there  under  such  circumstances  can  procure  suffi- 
cient nourishment  to  accomplish  this,  where  the  tem- 
perature is  so  much  higher,  and  where  the  expenditure 
of  sap  through  the  medium  of  the  leaves,  in  consequence 
of  the  intensity  of  the  solar  rays,  is  so  much  gretiter 
than  in  this  country,  how  small  a  quantity  of  moisture, 
in  proportion,  will  be  necessary  to  support  a  vine  here, 
where  from  the  moisture  of  the  air,  and  other  obvious 
circumstances,  the  leaves  themselves  collect  a  great 
portion  of  the  nourishment  that  maintains  its  vitality. 

For  it  must  not  be  forgotten,  that  in  departing  northr 
ward  from  the  native  country  of  the  vine,  the  power  of 
the  sun  gradually  diminishes,  and  the  coldness  of  the 
soil  as  gradually  increases,  evaporation  is  in  conse- 
quence greatly  reduced,  and  a  far  less  quantity  of 
moisture,  therefore,  is  required  by  the  roots  in  this 
country  to  supply  the  demands  of  the  leaves.  It  fol- 
lows, then,  that  the  nearer  we  approach  the  northern 
limit  of  the  vinous  latitude,  the  drier  ought  the  soil  to 
be  in  which  the  roots  of  vines  are  planted. 

From  this  general  rule,  therefore,  may  be  deduced  the 
important  fact,  that  as  this  limit  is  many  degrees  south 
of  Britain,  a  collection  of  stones,  or  of  similar  sub- 
stances without  any  admixture  of  soil  whatever,  will 
form  the  best  border  for  the  roots  of  vines  in  this  coun- 
try. This  may  appear  to  be  scarcely  credible  ;  such 
however  is  the  case,  for  theory  distinctly  points  it  out, 
and  practice  amply  confirms  it.  Many  years'  experi- 
ence, indeed,  has  satisfactorily  convinced  me,  that 
there  is  scarcely  any  description  of  soil  in  this  country 
that  is  not  naturally  too  cold,  or  that  does  not  hold 
water  in  suspension  too  long  to  be  well  adapted  for  the 
successful  culture  of  the  vine. 

A  slight  further  consideration  of  the  disadvantageous 


X 

168  ON   PLANTING    AND    MANAGING 

difference  that  exists  in  the  conditions  which  nature 
has  created  for  the. perfection  of  the  vine  in  its  native 
country,  and  those  that  exist  in  Britain,  will  be  suffi- 
cient to  show  that  a  decrease  of  moisture  in  the  soil, 
and  a  consequent  increase  of  dryness  and  warmth,  are 
absolutely  essential,  in  order  to  approximate  as  nearly 
as  possible  to  the  native  soil  of  the  vine. 

The  mean  annual  temperature  of  Syria,  the  most 
favored  country  of  the  vine,  is  about  25°  higher  than 
that  of  England  ;  and  to  this  very  striking  difference 
between  the  mean  annual  temperature  of  the  two  coun- 
tries must  be  added  the  important  fact,  that  in  the  lat- 
ter country  there  is  a  much  greater  disparity  betwixt 
the  summer  and  winter  temperature  than  in  the  former. 
\nd  it  is  this  disparity  that  operates  so  prejudicially 
in  the  early  forcing  of  the  vine,  which,  if  it  be  com- 
menced in  the  winter,  will  place  the  branches  in  the 
enjoyment  of  a  temperature  of  at  least  70°,  while  that 
of  the  soil  in  which  the  roots  are  planted  will  most  pro- 
bably not  exceed  35°  !  Nor  does  the  soil  become  but 
little  warmer  till  a  late  period  in  the  spring,  until  after 
the  crop  of  grapes  will  have  been  matured,  and  when 
it  is,  therefore,  too  late  for  the  fruit  to  derive  any  be- 
nefit from  the  increased  warmth.  These  disadvan- 
tages, with  many  others  that  flow  from  them,  acting  in 
combination  together,  require  the  utmost  skill  of  the 
cultivator  to  parry  them  off,  and  counteract  their  in- 
jurious effects. 

But,  great  as  the  disparity,  however,  is,  that  usually 
exists  betwixt  the  temperature  of  the  branches  and  the 
roots  of  early  forced  vines,  it  is  considerably  increased 
by  the  prevalent  practice  of  making  rich  and  highly 
manured  borders  for  the  roots  to  grow  in. 

Previously,  however,  to  any  remarks  on  this  head,  it 
may  be  opportunely  observed,  that  the  vegetative  power 
of  the  vine  is  wholly  distinct  from  its  maturalive  power. 


THE   ROOTS    OF    GRAPE    VINES.  169 

The  latter,  which  is  the  power  of  producing  and  per- 
fecting its  fruit,  cannot  exist  without  the  former,  but 
the  former,  which  is  the  power  of  producing  shoots  and 
leaves,  can  and  does  exist  without  the  latter. 

In  the  native  country  of  the  vine,  these  two  powers 
are  by  nature  equally  balanced,  but  this  balance  is  de- 
stroyed in  progressing  towards  the  equator  on  the  one 
hand,  or  towards  the  north  pole  on  the  other.  Within 
the  tropics  the  light  and  heat  are  too  intense  for  the 
vegetative  power,  which  cannot  therefore  exist  in  suf- 
ficient strength  to  support  the  maturative  power  ;  con- 
sequently, grapes  cannot  be  grown  there  without  arti- 
ficial means  being  used  to  reduce  and  circumscribe  the 
too  powerful  effects  of  the  sun.  On  the  other  hand, 
in  receding  northward  from  the  vinous  country,  a  pre- 
cisely opposite  effect  takes  place.  Every  degree  of 
latitude  in  that  direction  brings  with  it  an  increase  of 
the  vegetative  power  and  a  decrease  of  the  maturative 
power.  And  so  great  is  the  disparity  betwixt  these 
two  powers  as  they  exist  in  England,  that  in  the 
southern  parts  the  latter  power  bears  about  the  same 
proportion  to  the  former  as  one  does  to  ten,  while,  in 
the  northern  parts,  the  maturative  power  becomes 
wholly  extinct,  although  the  branches  of  the  vine  pos- 
sess there  a  vigorous  growth. 

If,  therefore,  the  shoots  and  leaves  of  a  vine  planted 
in  this  country  become  so  exceedingly  strong,  as  to 
exist  in  proportion  to  its  fruit-bearing  power  in  the 
ratio  of  ten  to  one,  for  what  useful  purpose,  it  may  be 
asked,  can  manure,  or  any  thing  in  the  nature  of  a 
stimulant  to  promote  growth,  be  added  to  the  soil  in 
which  vines  are  planted  1  Not  certainly  to  increase 
their  prolificacy,  for  it  will  have  a  tendency  to  produce 
a  contrary  effect.  It  is  not  only  in  England  that  vines 
cannot  be  made  prolific  by  adding  stimulants  to  the 
soil  in  which  they  grow,  but  it  is  the  same  throughout 


170  ON    PLANTING    AND    MANAGING 

the  whole  vinous  latitude.  In  no  part  of  the  world  can 
a  vine  be  made  to  produce  a  single  grape  more  than  it 
otherwise  would  do,  by  the  exclusive  agency  of  any 
thing  added  to  the  soil  in  the  shape  of  a  stimulant,  ex- 
cept under  the  circumstances  hereafter  mentioned. 
Grapes  are  the  sole  creation  of  solar  light  and  heat. 
The  earth  produces  the  raw  material  in  the  form  of 
branches  and  leaves,  but  the  sun  must  step  in  and  con- 
solidate the  juices,  otherwise  not  a  single  grape  will  be 
produced. 

Here,  then,  is  the  grand  distinction  to  be  made  in 
the  effect  produced  by  manuring  the  roots  of  vines,  ac- 
cording to  the  latitude  in  which  they  grow. 

Assuming  that  in  all  the  countries  where  the  vine  is 
indigenous,  and  which  in  the  northern  hemisphere  are 
generally  considered  to  be  comprehended  betwixt  the 
25th  and  44th  degrees  of  latitude,  the  two  powers  of 
the  vine  are,  as  has  been  already  stated  (for  a  little  re- 
petition is  necessary  here  for  the  sake  of  clearness), 
equally  balanced,  that  is,  that  every  vine  is  sufficiently 
strong  in  its  growth  to  perfect  all  the  grapes  it  pro- 
duces; then  in  all  these  countries  stimulants  to  the 
soil  may  be  added  to  advantage,  because  any  increase 
in  the  shoots  of  a  vine  there  will  be  followed  by  a  cor- 
responding increase  in  the  quantity  of  fruit. 

Passing,  however,  the  southern  limit  of  this  district 
towards  the  tropic,  the  light  and  heat  of  the  sun  be- 
comes too  intense  for  the  vine,  the  shoots  and  leaves 
of  which  are  exhausted  by  excessive  perspiration,  and 
cannot,  therefore,  yield  that  nourishment  which  the 
maturative  powers  of  the  plant  require. 

In  countries,  therefore,  where  this  is  the  case,  man- 
ure may  be  added  to  the  soil  with  even  greater  advan- 
tage than  in  the  native  district  of  the  vine.  But  as 
soon  as  we  pass  northward  of  that  specific  line  of  de- 
marcation which  terminates  the  northern  limit  of  the 


THE  ROOTS  OF  GRAPE  VINES.         171 

indigenous  district  of  the  vine,  the  reverse,  as  has  been 
already  stated,  takes  place.  As  the  power  of  the  sun 
becomes  progressively  weaker,  so  also  does  the  fruit- 
bearing  powers  of  the  vine,  while  the  growing  powers 
of  it  progressively  increase.  And  when  this  is  the 
case,  to  stimulate  the  soil  in  which  vines  are  planted, 
is  to  cause  an  increase  of  growth,  when  that  growth  is 
already  naturally  too  strong. 

If,  with  an  increase  of  growth,  a  corresponding  in- 
crease of  solar  light  and  heat  could  by  any  means  be 
produced,  the  case  would  be  very  different.  Then, 
indeed,  the  powers  of  the  vine  would  harmonise  to- 
gether, and  the  balance  betwixt  the  roots,  and  the 
foliage  and  fruit,  be  thereby  more  equally  preserved. 
But  as  this  is  impossible,  other  means  than  stimulating 
the  growing  powers  of  the  vine  must  be  resorted  to,  to 
make  it  become  prolific,  and  those  means  are  to  make 
the  best  possible  use,  in  every  conceivable  way,  of  the 
solar  light  and  heat  that  we  do  possess. 

To  return  now  to  the  consideration  of  the  effects  of 
highly  manured  borders.  It  must,  however,  be  first 
remarked,  that  the  preceding  observations  on  the  ef- 
fects of  manure  are  intended  to  apply  exclusively  to 
vines  cultivated  under  glass,  and  not  to  those  trained 
on  the  open  wall.  These  latter  frequently  suffer  from 
adverse  contingencies  of  the  season,  and  are  thereby 
exposed  to  many  drawbacks  on  their  growth  ;  manure, 
therefore,  of  a  dry  and  moderate  nature,  and  of  per- 
manent duration,  such  as  bones,  may  be  beneficially 
applied  to  the  soil  in  which  their  roots  are  growing. 
But  the  case  is  very  different  with  vines,  the  branches 
of  which  are  trained  under  glass.  The  foliage  of  these 
never  exoeriences  the  adverse  effects  of  strong  or 
parching  winds,  or  storms  of  hail,  or  long  continued 
drought.  The  shoots  and  leaves  are  so  completely 
under  command,  that  the  cultivator  can  make  the  vines 


172         ON  PLANTING  AND  MANAGING 

do  almost  what  he  pleases.  He  can  at  any  time  create 
a  temperature  that  is  warm  and  moist ;  and  this  is  so 
congenial  to  the  growing  shoots  and  leaves  of  vines, 
that  in  an  atmosphere  of  this  description  they  will  al- 
most get  their  own  living  without  troubling  the  roots 
for  any  nourishment  at  all.  It  is  a  mistaken  notion, 
therefore,  to  suppose,  that  because  a  vine  is  forced, 
that  is,  made  to  produce  its  fruit  at  a  contrary  period 
of  the  year  than  under  natural  circumstances  it  other- 
wise would  do,  it,  therefore,  requires  a  highly  manured 
border  for  the  roots  to  grow  in.  Quite  the  contrary 
is  the  case,  and  yet  how  universally  is  this  notion  acted 
upon  ! 

The  effect  of  forcing  vines  under  glass  is  to  cause 
great  rapidity  of  growth  in  the  shoots,  and  this  is  un- 
favourable to  the  formation  of  good  fruit  buds.  Slow- 
ness of  growth  is  the  first  step  towards  the  production 
of  good  bearing  wood  ;  and  this  point  should  be  aimed 
at  by  exposing  the  shoots  during  their  growth  to  the 
greatest  possible  amount  of  light  and  heat.  These 
all-powerful  agents  will  check  the  too  rapid  growth  of 
the  shoots,  and  thereby  produce  short-jointed  wood ; 
and  this  description  of  wood,  in  whatever  part  of  the 
world  it  may  be  produced,  is  always  prolific. 

Some  few  years  since,  the  author  received  a  bundle 
of  vine  cuttings  from  one  of  the  most  celebrated  vine- 
yards in  Spain.  They  were  the  entire  growth  of  the 
year,  as  each  had  a  portion  of  the  preceding  year's 
wood  attached  to  it.  The  longest  shoot  measured  8£ 
feet,  but  the  average  length  was  about  eight  feet.  The 
wood  was  perfectly  cylindrical,  and  of  the  closest  tex- 
ture, and  almost  as  hard  as  heart  of  oak.  The  buds 
were  large,  prominent,  and  highly  symmetrical,  and 
stood  out  in  bold  relief  on  the  sides  of  the  canes.  They 
were  produced  so  near  to  each  other  as  to  be  only  If 
of  an  inch  apart.  Now,  a  corresponding  shoot  pro- 


THE  ROOTS  OF  GRAPE  VINES.         173 

duced  in  this  country  by  an  established  vine  would  be 
about  25  feet  in  length,  and  the  buds  would  be,  on  an 
average,  distant  from  each  other  betwixt  4  and  5 
inches.  The  shoots  produced  in  these  different  coun- 
tries, therefore,  would  each  contain  pretty  nearly  the 
same  number  of  buds  ;  and  the  question  immediately 
arises,  what  was  the  cause  of  the  great  disproportion 
that  existed  in  the  length  of  these  shoots  1  Simply,  no 
other  than  the  greater  intensity  of  the  light  and  heat 
which  the  Spanish  shoots  enjoyed  over  the  English 
shoot.  Nature  was  as  long  manufacturing  1£  of  an 
inch  of  wood  in  Spain  as  she  was  4£  inches  in  this 
country  ;  but  then,  in  the  former  instance,  the  bright 
light  of  the  sun,  and  the  intensity  of  his  rays,  would 
not  let  the  shoot  go  ahead.  Their  united  influence 
caused  it.  to  linger  in  its  growth,  and  its  watery  sap, 
therefore,  was  turned  into  a  jelly-like  substance  almost 
as  fast  as  it  was  produced,  and  then  fine  fruit  buds  was 
the  natural  consequence.  And  these  shoots  may  be 
considered  as  types  of  all  others  produced  within  the 
vinous  latitude. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  a  certain  amount  of  direct 
solar  light  and  heat  will  cause  slowness  of  growth  in 
the  shoots  of  a  vine,  and  the  consequent  production  of 
fine  fruit  buds ;  any  point  of  culture,  therefore,  that 
may  he  followed  for  the  purpose  of  causing  a  vine  to 
grow  fast,  and  to  compel  its  shoots  to  elongate  at  a 
railroad  pace,  is  a  step  taken  in  the  wrong  direction, 
and  calculated  to  produce  an  opposite  effect  to  that 
which  is  intended,  and  such  is  the  case  with  rich  and 
highly  manured  borders,  which  incite  the  roots  to  an 
unnatural  growth,  and  cause  the  shoots  to  elongate  at 
too  rapid  a  rate,  thereby  producing  long-jointed  ple- 
thoric wood,  and  such  a  mass  of  rampant  foliage  as 
can  with  great  difficulty  be  kept  within  its  allotted 
bounds.  All  such  borders  are  at  the  same  time  much 


174         ON  PLANTING  AND  MANAGING 

colder  in  consequence  of  the  stimulating  substances  of 
which  they  are  composed,  and  the  frequent  top  dres- 
sings they  receive,  settling  down  into  a  solid  adhesive 
mass,  and  thereby  increasing  the  disparity  that  exists 
betwixt  the  temperature  of  the  roots  and  branches. 

And  it  is  this  disparity  that  is  the  prolific  source  of 
the  mishaps  and  failures  that  are  so  constantly  occur- 
ring  with  vines  under  glass,  especially  with  those  that 
are  forced  early.  The  colder  the  soil  is  in  which  the 
roots  are  planted,  the  later  will  it  be  in  spring  before 
they  move  and  yield  nourishment  to  the  branches  ; 
and,  unless  some  kind  of  artificial  warmth  be  given  to 
the  roots,  they  cannot  produce  new  ones,  until  excited 
thereto  by  the  influence  of  the  solar  rays,  and  these  are 
not  sufficiently  powerful  for  that  purpose  until  a  long 
time  after  the  vernal  equinox.  The  difference  in  point 
of  time  which  exists  betwixt  the  period  when  the  buds 
open,  and  the  shoots  of  the  vine  elongate,  and  that  of 
the  emission  of  new  roots,  is  at  all  times  much  greater 
than  is  usually  supposed.  Even  vines  on  the  open 
wall,  the  roots  and  branches  of  which  are  moved  solely 
by  the  natural  warmth  of  the  sun,  generally  produce 
leading  shoots  three  or  four  feet  long  before  any  new 
roots  make  their  appearance.* 

*  This  year  (1844)  the  author  had  occasion  to  examine 
upwards  of  a  thousand  young  vines  (part  of  his  nursery  stock)  of 
the  respective  ages  of  one,  two,  and  three  years,  the  shoots  of 
which  had  been  growing,  although  slowly,  from  the  1st  of  April 
until  the  1st  of  July,  on  which  latter  day  the  examination  took 
place. 

But  notwithstanding  a  period  of  three  calendar  months  had  in- 
tervened, not  one  of  these  vines  had  the  slightest  appearance  of 
the  formation  of  any  new  roots.  The  shoots  and  leaves  had 
therefore  been  living  during  that  long  period  of  time  entirely  on 
the  sap  contained  in  the  buds  and  the  small  portion  of  wood  left 
in,  in  the  preceding  year. 

The  unexampled  drynessof  the  spring  was,  without  doubt,  the 
cause  of  the  non-appearance  of  the  new  roots  at  so  late  a  period 
of  the  season. 


THE    ROOTS    OF   GRAPE  VINES.  175 

But  with  vines  forced  early  under  glass,  the  disparity 
is  surprisingly  great.  The  roots,  having  no  artificial 
assistance,  do  not  move  one  minute  sooner  in  the 
spring,  because  the  branches  are  made  to  do  so. 
These  latter  are  produced  from,  and  entirely  live  on, 
the  sap  contained  in  the  buds  and  branches.  The 
first  movement  of  the  sap  takes  place  in  the  upper- 
most buds ;  it  is  there  excited  and  liquified  by  the 
heat,  the  buds  then  open,  and  a  shoot  is  the  conse- 
quence. The  same  process  quickly  follows  with  all 
the  other  buds  downwards ;  and  after  the  sap  of  the 
preceding  year's  wood  is  exhausted,  the  main  trunk  or 
stem  of  the  vine  becomes  affected  by  the  heat,  and  the 
moisture  stored  up  in  its  cells,  is,  in  consequence, 
gradually  melted  or  liquified,  and  when  in  this  state  it 
continually  sends  up  nourishment  to  the  parts  above  ; 
and  if  the  vine  be  an  established  one  of  some  years' 
growth,  it  will  yield  a  large  supply  for  even  months  to 
come.  Indeed,  it  is  the  only  source  of  nutriment  that 
the  green  shoots  and  leaves  have  at  their  command, 
until  the  emission  of  new  roots,  except  that  which  is 
presented  to  them  by  the  moisture  of  the  air  by  which 
they  are  surrounded.  The  main  trunk  of  the  vine 
being  now,  therefore,  the  grand  reservoir  of  supply, 
the  organisable  matter  deposited  in  its  cells  is  gradually 
expended  in  the  elongation  of  the  shoots,  and  the  for- 
mation of  leaves  and  fruit.  And  such  is  the  extraor- 
dinary powers  of  expansion  which  this  matter  is  en- 
dued with,  that  out  of  a  cubical  inch  of  it  nature  will 
create  a  shoot  a  dozen  feet  long,  and  clothe  it  with  vi- 
gorous leaves,  and  the  leaves  in  their  turn  will  extract 
from  the  air  as  much  food  as  will  make  that  shoot  half 
as  long  again.  From  these  sources  of  the  branches 
and  leaves  of  the  vine,  then,  the  whole  mass  of  the 
foliage  and  also  the  fruit  will  derive  their  nourishment 
for  a  long  period  of  time,  while  the  roots  are  yet  asleep, 


176  ON    PLANTING    AND   MANAGING 

and  have  no  part  nor  lot  in  the  matter  ;  and  if  the  vine 
should  have  been  forced  very  early,  the  grapes  will  be 
actually  swelled  off  before  the  solar  heat  can  have  put 
in  motion  the  sap  contained  in  the  roots.  Unless, 
therefore,  artificial  means  be  used  to  make  the  roots 
move  before  their  natural  time,  an  early  forced  vine 
will  present  the  very  singular  anomaly  of  having  pro- 
duced a  vast  mass  of  foliage,  and  a  matured  crop  of 
grapes,  before  the  roots  can  have  contributed  any  thing 
towards  their  support. 

And  what  are  the  consequences  that  result  from  com- 
pelling  nature  thus  to  produce  foliage  and  perfect 
fruit,  when  her  grand  agents,  light  and  heat,  are  com- 
paratively dormant  1  Simply  these,  that  if  the  sap  con- 
tained in  the  trunk  and  branches  of  the  vine  be  all  ex- 
hausted in  the  formation  of  the  fruit  and  foliage,  before 
that  in  the  roots  can  come  to  its  assistance  and  follow 
up  the  supply,  the  fruit  is  then  exposed  to  the  fatal  ef- 
fects of  shrivelling,  and  shanking,  and  all  the  other 
numerous  ills  that  so  frequently  befal  early  forced 
grapes,  and  the  vine  itself  suffers,  in  consequence, 
what  may  be  very  aptly  termed,  a  complete  paralytic 
stroke  ! 

Sufficient,  it  is  presumed,  has  now  been  said  to  show 
the  necessity  of  improving  the  culture  of  the  vine,  and 
placing  it  on  a  more  certain  basis  than  it  is  at  present 
with  reference  to  the  management  of  the  roots,  by  sur- 
rounding them  with  such  conditions  as  shall  approxi- 
mate more  nearly  to  those  they  enjoy  when  growing 
indigenously  in  their  native  country  :  and  in  doing 
this  the  task  will  be  abundantly  simple.  It  has  al- 
ready been  remarked  that  the  roots  of  vines  delight  to 
ramble  amongst  rocks  and  stones,  and  similar  substan- 
ces, and  that  when  vines  are  planteal  in  soils  abound- 
ing in  these  substances  they  always  produce  finer  and 
better  flavoured  grapes,  than  when  planted  in  any  other 


THE    ROOTS   OF    GRAPE    VINES.  177 

description  of  soil.  Such  being  the  case,  there  will 
be  no  difficulty  whatever  in  making  an  artificial  soil 
of  this  nature,  which  shall  be  calculated  in  every  re- 
spect to  produce  a  very  superior  growth  of  the  vine. 

In  furtherance  of  this  object,  it  happens  that  the  best 
description  of  materials  for  the  intended  purpose  can 
be  easily  procured,  at  any  time,  and  almost  in  any 
place.  These  are,  broken  bricks,  lumps  of  mortar,  char- 
coal, and  bones.  The  three  first  should  be  reduced  to 
the  size  of  a  hen's  egg,  or  thereabouts.  Larger  or 
smaller  fragments  will  do,  but  when  they  are  about  this 
size  they  are  better  calculated  to  retain  the  requisite 
degree  of  moisture  in  connexion  with  the  greatest  pos- 
sible extent  of  surface.  The  bricks  should  not  be  too 
hard  burnt,  because  their  porosity  is  thereby  lessened. 
Old  mortar  should  be  preferred  to  new,  when  it  can  be 
procured.  The  bones  may  either  be  broken  into  frag- 
ments or  deposited  whole,  and  the  fresher  they  are  the 
belter.  Any  description  of  bones  will  do,  provided 
they  are  those  of  animals  arrived  at  maturity,  and  are 
therefore  of  a  solid  and  lasting  nature.  Such  as  have 
marrow  in  them  should  be  broken  asunder,  that  the 
interior  surface  may  be  available  to  the  roots  of  the 
vines,  and  the  lighter  and  more  porous  the  charcoal  is, 
the  better  will  it  answer  the  intended  purpose.  The 
whole  of  these  materials  should  be  used  in  equal  pro- 
portion, measure  for  measure,  and  should  be  well 
mixed  together.  But  before  this  is  done,  the  bricks, 
mortar,  and  charcoal  should  be  well  soaked  in  urine, 
and  then  used  immediately.  And  as  these  substances 
convey  to  the  roots  of  vines  an  extraordinary  supply  of 
nutriment  in  a  highly  concentrated  form,  a  small  quan- 
tity in  bulk,  in  proportion  to  that  of  common  soil,  will 
be  amply  sufficient  to  support  a  single  vine  for  a  long 
series  of  years. 

The  manner  in  which  these  materials  are  to  be  used 


178  ON   PLANTING   AND    MANAGING 

so  as  to  form  a  bed  for  the  roots  of  vines,  remains  now 
to  be  explained. 

One  general  rule  must  be  first  laid  down,  and  that 
is,  that  whether  they  be  deposited  in  an  open  border,  or 
in  the  interior  of  a  vinery,  they  must  be  enclosed  on 
all  sides  within  solid  brick-work.  This  is  necessary  to 
prevent  the  roots  from  penetrating  into  the  adjacent 
cold  soil,  and  also  to  keep  the  materials  always  in  a 
moist  state,  for  which  purpose  brick-work  is  admirably 
adapted,  on  account  of  the  porosity  or  power  of  suc- 
tion or  absorption  of  moisture  which  bricks  are  well 
known  to  possess.  If,  therefore,  any  quantity  of  the 
above-mentioned  materials  be  enclosed  in  brick- work, 
and  placed  compactly  together,  and  in  close  contact 
with  the  internal  surface  of  the  brick- work, 
the  whole  body  of  those  materials  will  in  a  short  time 
after  they  are  so  placed  become  moist,  and,  once  moist, 
they  can  never  again,  at  any  time  afterwards,  become 
dry.  They  will,  therefore,  always  be  in  that  state 
which  is  more  suitable  to  the  roots  of  the  vine  than  any 
other,  namely,  always  moist,  but  never  wet. 

Another  general  rule  also  remains  now  to  be  men- 
tioned, which  must  never  be  departed  from.  All  vines 
intended  for  early  forcing  should  be  planted  inside  of 
the  vinery. 

The  roots  of  vines  so  planted,  being  enclosed  in 
brick-work  as  before  directed,  are  then  protected  from 
all  the  cold  agencies  of  the  atmosphere,  and  are,  more- 
over,  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  much  higher  temperature, 
in  addition  to  which  they  receive  the  benefit  of  the 
heated  atmosphere  of  the  vinery ;  and  these  are  ad- 
vantages that  cannot  be  estimated  too  highly.  They 
form,  in  fact,  an  integral  part  of  the  routine  of  early 
forcing,  the  successful  issue  of  which  cannot  be  de- 
pended upon  without  them. 

This  point  being  settled,  the  first  step  to  be  taken  is 


THE  ROOTS  OP  GRAPE  VINES.         179 

to  prepare  the  site  for  the  reception  of  the  materials 
in  which  the  roots  are  to  be  inserted. 

In  doing  this,  the  following  directions  are  to  be  ob- 
served : — 

1st.  Assuming  that  a  new  vinery  is  about  to  be 
erected,  excavate  the  whole  area  of  it  to  the  depth  of 
three  feet  below  the  level  of  the  surface,  and  carry  the 
soil  entirely  away. 

2d.  Prepare  the  bottom  for  the  reception  of  a  floor 
of  brick- work,  by  making  the  surface  of  it  quite  smooth 
and  level. 

3d.  Pave  the  whole  area  of  the  bottom  with  good 
hard  bricks,  well  jointed  together,  either  with  cement 
or  well-prepared  mortar. 

4th.  Then  lay  the  foundations  of  the  walls  of  the 
vinery  on  this  flooring  of  brick-work,  and  carry  the 
walls  up  hollow  as  high  as  the  surface  of  the  adjacent 
soil,  so  that  the  materials  about  to  be  enclosed  within 
them  shall  be  protected  from  the  chilling  effects  ot  the 
soil  outside,  and  from  any  sudden  accession  of  water 
that  may  at  any  time  fall  thereon.  The  walls  may 
then  be  continued  solid  up  to  their  intended  height,  al- 
though every  house  intended  for  the  early  forcing  of 
grapes  ought  to  have  all  its  exterior  walls  built  hollow 
from  top  to  bottom. 

5th.  As  the  floor  of  the  vinery  is  to  be  laid  with 
bricks,  the  surface  of  which  is  to  be  an  inch  higher 
than  that  of  the  surrounding  soil,  provision  must  be 
made  for  the  bearing  of  the  sides  and  ends  of  such  of 
the  paving-bricks  as  will  come  in  contact  with  the 
walls,  by  having  a  set-off  in  the  brick-work  of  the  sides 
and  ends  of  the  walls  of  not  less  than  an  inch  in 
breadth. 

6th.  Now,  as  a  series  of  walls  are  to  be  run  up  par- 
allel to  the  ends  of  the  house  for  the  flooring-bricks  to 
rest  upon,  the  next  step  to  be  taken  is  to  divide  the  area 


180         ON  PLANTING  AND  MANAGING 

of  the  bottom  into  as  many  equal  portions  or  breadths 
as  shall  be  equal  to  the  number  of  vines  intended  to  be 
planted. 

Thus,  if  the  vines  are  to  be  planted  four  feet  apart, 
draw  a  line  from  the  front  to  the  back,  that  distance  in 
the  clear  from  one  of  the  end  walls,  and  on  this  line 
run  up  a  wall  to  such  a  height  that  the  surface  of  the 
top  of  it  shall  range  exactly  even  with  that  of  the  set- 
off  in  the  main  walls.  This  cross-wall  must  be  built 
solid,  and  in  the  usual  manner,  with  the  bricks  laid 
flat ;  the  breadth  of  it  will  therefore  be  about  4£ 
inches,  giving  a  bearing  to  the  flooring-bricks  of  2J 
inches.  Then  divide  the  space  thus  enclosed,  into 
parallel  spaces  of  the  same  width  as  the  bricks  are  long. 
On  all  the  lines  that  mark  the  divisions  of  these  spaces, 
run  up,  successively,  walls  built  in  a  brick-on-edge 
manner,  the  surfaces  of  the  tops  of  which  must  range 
evenly  with  each  other,  and  also  with  that  of  the  solid 
wall  already  built.  These  walls  will  be  about  2£ 
inches  thick,  and  will,  therefore,  afford  a  bearing  for 
the  ends  of  the  flooring-bricks  of  1£  inch.  These 
walls,  it  must  be  observed,  are  not  to  be  built  solid,  but 
in  what  is  called  a  pigeon-hole  manner,  that  is,  with 
open  spaces  left  at  regular  distances  in  the  brick-work. 
When  these  brick-on-edge  walls  are  finished,  one  com- 
partment for  the  reception  of  a  single  vine  will  be  com- 
plete, as  far  as  the  walls  are  concerned ;  and  all  the 
remaining  area  of  the  bottom  of  the  house  is  to  be  oc- 
cupied by  walls  built  up  in  the  same  manner,  and  en- 
closing a  similar  space  within  each  compartment.  The 
solid  walls  are  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  the  roots  of 
the  vines  separate  from  each  other,  and  the  intermedi- 
ate walls  have  open  spaces  left  in  them,  to  permit  the 
roots  to  ramble  freely  throughout  the  entire  mass  of 
materials  deposited  within  each  compartment.  The 
roots  of  each  vine  being  thus  kept  separately,  any  vine 


THE    ROOTS    OF   GRAPE   VINES.  181 

can  be  taken  up  and  removed,  if  circumstances  should 
at  any  time  render  it  necessary,  without  disturbing  the 
roots  of  the  other  vines. 

7th.  The  cross-walls  being  all  finished,  they  had 
better  be  left  for  the  space  of  three  or  four  days  for 
the  brick-work  to  become  dry  and  firmly  set,  after 
which,  the  materials,  being  prepared  in  the  manner  al- 
ready mentioned,  may  be  deposited  in  the  spaces  betwixt 
the  walls. 

They  should  be  filled  in  by  the  hand,  in  moderate 
quantities  at  a  time,  and  place  carefully  and  compactly 
together,  clear  up  to  the  tops  of  the  walls,  so  that  the 
under  sides  of  the  flooring-bricks,  when  laid,  may  be 
in  close  contact  with  them. 

8th.  The  materials  being  thus  deposited,  the  floor 
may  then  be  laid  down ;  and  this  is  to  be  done  with 
good  hard  bricks,  of  the  very  best  description,  and, 
with  the  exception  about  to  be  mentioned,  joined  to- 
gether with  well-tempered  mortar,  taking  care  that  the 
joints  be  struck  neatly  and  in  a  workmanlike  manner. 
The  bricks  are,  of  course,  to  be  laid  lengthways,  with 
their  sides  parallel  to  the  back  of  the  house,  and  their 
ends  will  then  rest  on  the  cross-walls,  for  which  pur- 
pose they  are  expressly  built. 

Now  it  must  be  particularly  observed  that  that  row 
or  course  of  bricks  that  runs  from  the  front  of  the  house 
to  the  back,  which  is  the  centre  row  of  each  compart- 
ment, and  under  which  course  a  vine  is  to  have  its 
roots  planted,  is  not,  when  put  down,  to  be  cemented 
with  mortar  or  anything  else,  but  laid  edge  to  edge  and 
fitted  in  closely,  without  any  joints  being  made,  other 
than  those  which  the  bricks  themselves  make,  so  that 
they  can  easily  be  taken  up,  and  laid  down  again,  at 
any  time  when  it  may  be  thought  necessary,  for  the 
purpose  of  increasing  the  moisture  of  the  bed  of  ma- 
terials by  adding  water  or  liquid  manure.  The  whole 
p 


182  ON    PLANTING    AND    MANAGING 

floor  might,  indeed,  be  laid  in  this  manner,  without 
any  of  the  joints  of  the  bricks  being  cemented,  but  this 
plan  would  be  very  injurious  to  the  roots,  for  the  fol- 
lowing reason  : — soon  after  the  roots  begin  to  traverse 
the  bed  of  mateiials,  a  great  number  of  them  will  ram- 
ble upwards  until  they  reach  the  under  surface  of  the 
brick  flooring,  being  attracted  thereto  by  the  warmth 
of  the  atmosphere  of  the  house,  and  also  by  solar  in- 
fluence. When  the  roots  once  get  there,  they  will 
quickly  multiply  by  thousands,  and  feed  on  the  under 
surface  of  the  bricks  of  the  floor,  because  it  will  be 
warmer  and  moister  than  any  other  part  of  their  bed. 
The  increased  moisture  of  the  flooring-bricks  will  be 
caused  by  those  copious  sprinklings  on  the  floor  of  the 
house,  which  are  so  advantageously  given  to  vines 
under  glass,  from  the  time  of  the  setting  of  the  fruit 
until  the  berries  are  about  to  swell  off,  and  which,  by 
creating  a  moist  atmosphere  at  night,  enable  the  fruit 
and  foliage  to  absorb  that  additional  nourishment  which 
they  stand  so  much  in  need  of  at  this  particular  period 
of  their  growth.  A  considerable  portion  of  the  water 
thus  sprinkled  on  the  floor  will  find  its  way  down  to  the 
under  surface  of  the  bricks,  and  consequently  it  will 
thus  be  seen  that  what  is  so  extremely  beneficial  to  the 
fruit  is  also  equally  beneficial  to  the  roots.  If  the 
flooring-bricks,  therefore,  were  to  be  taken  up  at  any 
time  after  the  roots  of  the  vines  had  become  well 
established,  this  grand  source  of  nourishment  to  them 
would  be  entirely  cut  off.  One  course  of  moveable 
bricks,  therefore,  running  along  the  middle  of  each 
compartment  containing  one  vine  will  be  sufficient  for 
the  purpose  before  mentioned.  When  the  flooring  is 
finished,  the  glazing  &c.  of  the  house  should  be  done 
without  delay. 

9th.  Planting  the  Vines. — When  this  is  intended  to 


THE    ROOTS    OF   GRAPE    VINES.  183 

be  done,  the  following  directions  are  necessary  to  be 
attended  to  : 

When  planted  in  the  winter. — If  the  roots  be  loose 
and  free  from  mould,  provide  for  every  vine  two  pieces 
of  flannel,  or  of  any  description  of  coarse  woollen 
cloth,  sufficiently  large  to  cover  over  the  roots  when 
they  are  all  spread  out  at  length. 

Put  these  pieces  of  cloth  in  soap-suds,  to  be  well 
soaked,  and  while  that  is  being  done  take  up  a  suffi- 
cient number  of  moveable  bricks,  and  then  rake  away 
with  the  hand  the  materials  of  the  bed  where  a  vine  is 
to  be  inserted,  under  the  course  of  moveable  bricks,  to 
the  depth  of  three  inches,  and  to  such  an  extent  of  sur- 
face as  will  be  sufficient  for  the  roots  to  rest  upon, 
when  they  are  all  extended.  Then  make  the  surface 
of  this  space  quite  smooth  and  even. 

After  which,  take  the  two  pieces  of  cloth  out  of  the 
soap-suds,  and,  having  drained  them  for  a  couple  of 
minutes,  spread  one  of  them  out  on  the  surface  of  the 
bed,  for  the  reception  of  the  roots.  This  being  done, 
take  the  vine,  and  fixing  the  stem  of  it  in  its  proper 
place  and  position,  spread  the  roots  out  carefully  to 
their  full  extent  on  the  wet  cloth  ;  then  lay  the  other 
piece  of  wet  cloth  on  the  roots,  and  replace  the  mate- 
rials that  were  raked  off  at  the  beginning,  on  this  up- 
permost wet  cloth,  taking  care  to  put  only  a  small 
quantity  at  a  time,  and  to  place  them  compactly  to- 
gether, so  as  to  cause  all  the  roots  to  be  in  close  contact 
with  the  surfaces  of  both  pieces  of  cloth,  then  re-lay 
the  bricks  on  the  floor  in  their  proper  places. 

The  roots  will  then  lie  warm  and  moist  betwixt  a 
couple  of  blankets,  and  being  thus  taken  care  of,  will, 
in  consequence,  send  forth  new  roots  with  the  greatest 
facility  when  the  proper  season  arrives.  Thus  one 
vine  will  be  disposed  of,  and  the  others  are  of  course 
to  be  planted  in  the  same  manner. 


184  ON   PLANTING   AND   MANAGING 

If  the  roots,  however,  are  in  a  pot,  the  mode  of 
planting  must  be  a  little  different.  In  this  case,  the 
ball  of  earth  in  which  the  roots  are  growing  had  better 
not  be  disturbed.  Provide,  therefore,  one  piece  of 
cloth  for  each  vine,  and  soak  it  in  soap-suds  as  before. 
Then  take  the  vine  out  of  the  pot  with  the  ball  of  earth 
entire,  and  wrap  the  wet  cloth  round  it,  taking  care 
that  it  be  in  close  contact  with  the  surface  of  the  soil 
of  the  ball.  This  being  done,  bind  the  cloth  tightly 
round  with  packthread,  in  a  sufficiently  firm  manner 
to  keep  it  in  that  state,  and  then  insert  it  in  the  bed  of 
materials  in  the  usual  manner,  taking  care  that  they 
are  placed  closely  round  the  ball,  so  as  to  leave  no  open 
space  for  the  air  to  dry  up  the  moisture.  The  wet 
cloth  that  will  thus  remain  bound  round  the  roots,  will 
offer  no  impediment  whatever  to  their  growth,  for  they 
will  quickly  penetrate  through  it  in  all  directions,  and 
in  the  course  of  a  few  months  devour  the  whole  so  com- 
pletely,  that  not  a  vestige  of  it  will  remain. 

When  planted  in  the  summer. — In  this  case  the  roots 
will,  of  course,  be  in  a  growing  state,  and  in  a  pot, 
otherwise  the  vine  cannot  be  transplanted  with  safety 
at  this  season  of  the  year.  Provide  a  piece  of  cloth 
as  before,  and  soak  it  in  warm  soap-suds.  Then  take 
the  vine  out  of  the  pot  and  wrap  the  cloth  round  it  in 
the  manner  already  mentioned,  taking  care  as  the 
roots  are  newly  formed,  and  therefore  very  tender,  not 
to  bind  the  cloth  round  too  tightly.  This  being  done, 
insert  it  in  the  bed  of  materials  as  before.  It  will  be 
of  great  advantage  to  a  vine  planted  in  this  way  in 
summer,  to  give  it  about  a  quart  of  good  rich  warm 
soap-suds  every  day  for  a  fortnight  after  it  is  planted, 
as  this  will  most  materially  promote  its  growth. 

In  planting  vines  under  glass,  care  should  always 
be  taken  to  avoid  the  common,  but  capital  error,  of 
placing  the  stems  of  them  directly  under  the  rafters. 


THE    ROOTS    OF   GRAPE  VINES.  185 

Rafters  and  sashbars  reduce  the  quantity  of  light  that 
the  glass  admits,  and  thus  operate  injuriously  ;  they 
are,  however,  necessary  evils,  but  the  fewer  there  are 
in  number  within  a  given  space,  and  the  less  surface 
each  occupies,  the  better.  But  to  plant  a  vine,  the 
main  stem  or  branch  of  which  will  become  one  of  its 
grand  receptacles  of  nourishing  matter,  in  a  situation 
where  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun  can  never  reach  it,  is 
certainly  one  of  the  most  absurd  and  contradictory 
things  imaginable.  The  proper  situation,  without 
doubt,  is  under  the  centre  of  a  light :  the  main  stem 
and  all  the  branches,  and,  of  course,  the  fruit  also,  will 
then  enjoy  the  full  power  of  the  sun. 

The  bed  of  materials  being  made  and  enclosed,  and 
the  vines  planted,  a  brief  review  may  now  be  taken  of 
the  conditions  by  which  the  roots  are  surrounded. 

Here,  then,  is  a  mass  of  materials,  the  mechanical 
texture  and  arrangements  of  which  constitute  the  very 
delight  of  the  vine. 

The  innumerable  cavities  and  interstices,  and  the 
extraordinary  extent  of  surface  for  the  roots  to  tra- 
verse which  such  a  mass  possesses  when  put  compactly 
together,  offer  to  the  roots  of  the  vines  planted  in  it 
such  facilities  of  growth,  and  the  substances  them- 
selves such  means  of  nourishment  and  support,  as  can- 
not be  obtained  from  an  hundred  times  its  bulk  of 
mere  soil.  All  the  substances,  except  the  bones,  pos- 
sess in  common  the  highest  powers  of  absorption.  The 
porosity  of  charcoal  is  such,  that  its  cells  occupy  more 
than  one  half  of  its  cubical  contents.  The  beneficial 
effects  of  it,  therefore,  as  an  absorbent,  and  a  retainer 
of  moisture,  render  it  invaluable  as  a  component. 
Whereve"  charcoal  is  placed  in  situations  that  exclude 
the  atmospheric  air,  dryness  can  never  enter,  tt  is 
said  to  be  under  such  circumstances  indestructible ; 
but  that  is  not  the  case  when  the  roots  of  vines  fasten 


186  ON   PLANTING   AND    MANAGING 

upon  it,  for  their  spoDgioles  soon  abrade  its  surface, 
and  appropriate  its  particles  to  their  nourishment  and 
support.  The  same  process  do  they  effectually  per- 
form on  the  bricks  and  mortar. 

And  with  reference  to  bones,  the  direct  nutriment 
which  they  afford  is  more  lasting  in  its  nature  than 
any  other  known  substance.  And  all  these  substances 
lying  thus  close  together,  within  a  small  compass,  are 
at  the  immediate  command  of  the  vines,  the  roots  of 
which  have  not  to  traverse  through  a  vast  mass  of  soil 
in  search  of  food,  by  which  their  growth  is  frequently 
impeded  and  an  injurious  check  thereby  given  to  the 
vital  energies  of  the  vines.  The  roots,  indeed,  are 
surrounded  by  all  the  conditions  necessary  to  create 
in  them  a  healthy  action.  They  lie  warm,  for  the 
temperature  which  they  enjoy  is  many  degrees  higher 
than  that  of  common  soil,  and  at  the  same  time  they 
are  beyond  the  reach  of  all  sudden  atmospheric 
changes.  The  shoots  which  they  produce  will  always 
be  short-jointed,  and  therefore  fruitful,  because  of  their 
comparative  slowness  of  growth. 

The  practical  advantages  of  these  conditions  are, 
that  vines  growing  in  the  enjoyment  of  them,  may  be 
forced  with  perfect  safety,  six  weeks  sooner  than  they 
could  be  under  ordinary  circumstances.  And,  as  a 
crowning  advantage,  a  bed  of  materials  for  the  recep- 
tion of  the  roots  of  vines  put  together  in  the  manner 
here  recommended,  when  once  made,  is  made,  if  not  for 
ever,  at  least  for  a  long  series  of  years. 

A  brief  recapitulation  of  the  numerous  advantages 
resulting  from  the  practice  of  planting  vines  wthin  a 
house,  and  surrounding  their  roots  with  conditions  more 
in  accordance  with  those  that  exist  in  their  native 
country,  having  now  been  made,  a  few  words  may  be 
offered,  in  reference  to  that  large  class  of  glass  erec- 
tions which  abound  throughout  the  country,  namely, 


THE  ROOTS  OF  GRAPE  VINES.         187 

Greenhouses,Conservatories,  &c.,  and  in  which,  though 
vines  are  frequently  cultivated,  they  are  generally 
treated  as  subordinate  to  other  purposes. 

In  these  houses,  grapes  not  being  the  principal  object, 
the  management  of  the  vine  is,  in  general,  of  an  in- 
ferior  character.  The  roots  of  them  are  taken  but  lit- 
tle account  of,  being  generally  planted  outside  in  an 
open  border,  and  suffered  to  ramble  about  without  any 
attempt  being  made  to  bestow  on  them  more  favour- 
able conditions  of  growth. 

Vines  that  are  subjected  to  this  description  of  glass 
culture  are  brought  under  notice  here,  for  the  purpose 
of  suggesting,  that  if  an  improvement  in  their  culture 
be  desired  with  reference  to  the  better  management  of 
their  roots,  it  can  easily  be  accomplished,  by  making  a 
bed  of  materials,  such  as  has  been  already  described, 
and  enclosing  it  in  brickwork  outside  of  the  house. 
This  would  be  a  decided  improvement,  and  one  that 
would  be  far  better  calculated  to  insure  the  production 
of  good  fruit,  than  any  other  that  could  be  adopted, 
while  the  roots  are  suffered  to  ramble  about  unrestrain- 
ed  in  the  open  soil.  Where,  therefore,  this  improve- 
ment is  intended  to  be  made,  the  roots  should  be  care- 
fully taken  up  at  the  proper  season,  and  pruned  back, 
and  then  temporarily  tied  up  in  plenty  of  matting  so 
that  the  air  cannot  affect  or  injure  them.  The  soil  of 
the  border  should  be  then  excavated  to  the  breadth  of 
about  8  feet,  and  to  the  depth  of  2£  feet,  which  is  suf- 
ficiently deep  for  an  outside  border.  There  are  two 
ways  of  enclosing  the  bed  of  materials  that  is  to  be 
formed  in  place  of  the  soil  taken  away,  namely, 
either  with  the  surface  of  it  paved  with  bricks,  or  with- 
out it. 

If  the  surface  is  to  be  paved,  then  the  brickwork 
is  to  be  done  in  precisely  the  same  manner  as  that  al- 
ready described  for  the  inside  of  a  vinery,  with  the 


188  ON    PLANTING    AND   MANAGING 

two  following  exceptions  ; — 1st,  the  whole  upper  floor- 
ing of  brickwork  is  to  be  laid  in  mortar,  no  courses  of 
moveable  bricks  being  required  for  a  bed  outside  of  the 
house,  as  a  sufficient  quantity  of  moisture  for  the 
roots  will  find  its  way  through  the  bricks  forming  the 
surface.  2d,  The  surface  of  the  bed  must  be  sloped  so 
that  the  front  of  it  may  be  at  least  6  inches  lower  than 
that  part  that  joins  the  house. 

If  the  surface  of  the  bed  is  not  to  be  paved,  then  the 
brickwork  forming  the  bottom  flooring  is  also  to  be 
sloped,  as  well  as  the  top  surface  of  the  materials,  to 
the  same  extent  as  that  in  the  preceding  case.  The 
object  in  view  in  sloping  the  bottom,  is  to  admit  any 
excess  of  water  that  may  at  any  time  fall  on  the  bor- 
der to  drain  away.  To  effect  this  more  readily,  a  few 
very  small  crevices  must  be  left  open  in  the  bottom  of 
the  front  wall,  just  at  the  junction  of  the  flooring  and 
the  wall.  And  as  there  is  to  be  no  brick  flooring  on 
the  upper  surface  of  the  bed,  the  cross  walls  that  are 
pigeon-holed  are,  of  course,  not  wanted,  but  it  will  be 
advisable  to  run  up  the  solid  cross  walls,  that  are  in- 
tended to  keep  the  roots  of  each  vine  separate  from 
each  other.  The  preparation  and  filling  in  of  the  bed 
of  materials  is  to  be  effected  in  the  same  manner  as  al- 
ready described.  The  roots  of  the  vine  should  also  be 
deposited  in  the  bed  of  materials  in  a  similar  way,  be- 
twixt two  pieces  of  wet  woollen  cloth,  and  in  this  latter 
case,  where  the  surface  of  the  materials  is  open,  the 
roots  should  be  laid  in  six  inches  below  the  surface. 

If  the  borders  outside  of  greenhouses,  &c.,  be  thus 
made  for  the  roots  of  vines  that  are  cultivated  within 
them,  the  superiority  of  the  fruit  would,  in  consequence, 
be  such  as  to  amply  repay  the  trifling  expense  incurred 
in  making  them. 

A  similarly  beneficial  effect  on  the  fruit  of  vines 
cultivated  on  the  open  wall  would,  without  doubt,  be 


THE  BOOTS  OF  GRAPE  VINES.         189 

produced,  by  making  artificial  borders  of  materials  en- 
closed in  brickwork  in  the  manner  already  described, 
in  all  cases  where  either  the  soil  or  subsoil  is  naturally 
stiff,  adhesive,  and  cold. 


THERE  remains  now  to  be  described  a  mode  of  cul- 
tivating the  vine,  which,  from  its  simplicity  and  eco- 
nomy, and  its  easy  practical  adoption,  recommends 
itself  most  especially  to  the  notice  of  a  vast  class  of 
persons  who  are  not  in  possession  of  the  means  to 
practise  any  of  the  usual  methods  of  culture. 

This  mode  of  culture  is  based  upon  two  important 
principles  connected  with  the  growth  of  the  vine. 
The  first  of  which  is,  that  a  body  of  substances  or  ma- 
terials, of  the  nature  already  described,  being  enclosed 
in  hollow  brickwork  or  masonry  erected  on  the  surface 
of  the  ground,  will  nourish  and  support  the  roots  of  a 
vine  inserted  therein,  as  effectually  as  it  would  do,  were 
the  brickwork  or  masonry  enclosing  the  materials 
placed  below  the  surface  of  the  ground.  The  second 
principle  is,  that  the  roots  of  a  vine,  when  enclosed  in 
this  manner,  and  supplied  with  the  requisite  degree  of 
moisture,  will  strike  upwards,  and  grow  as  freely  in 
that  direction,  as  they  will  downwards  or  horizontally, 
when  the  brickwork  and  materials  are  beneath  the  sur- 
face of  the  earth. 

On  these  two  important  principles,  an  easy  and 
novel  mode  of  cultivating  vines  may  be  practised, 
which  may  be  described  as  that  of  building  hollow 
brick  erections  on  the  surface  of  the  ground,  of  any 
shape,  circular,  square,  or  otherwise,  and  filling  them 
with  dry  materials  of  the  description  already  mentioned, 
then  planting  in  each  erection,  amongst  these  materi- 
als, the  roots  of  a  vine,  and  training  the  branches  of  it 
on  the  outside  surface  of  the  brickwork. 


190         ON  PLANTING  AND  MANAGING 

These  are  the  principal  features  of  this  method, 
which,  perhaps,  will  be  more  clearly  understood  from  a 
detailed  account  of  the  mode  of  putting  up  an  erec- 
tion of  this  description,  and  planting  a  vine  inside  of  it. 

For  this  purpose,  a  hollow  circular  column,  five  feet 
high,  and  three  feet  in  diameter,  may  be  chosen.  A 
circular  erection  is  the  best,  because  the  sun  will  shine 
all  round  it  throughout  the  growing  season,  and  also 
because  the  shoots  of  a  vine  can  be  trained  so  much 
more  easily  round  a  circular  column  than  round  one  of 
any  other  description  having  corners  or  angles  to  it. 

It  must  first  be  observed,  that,  as  the  soil  or  ground 
on  which  erections  of  this  description  can  be  put,  will 
have  no  connexion  whatever  with  the  roots  of  the  vines 
that  are  to  be  enclosed  within  them,  proper  and  conve- 
nient sites  may  be  chosen  wholly  irrespective  of  the  na- 
ture of  the  soil  on  which  the  erections  are  to  be  built. 
Any  situation,  therefore,  will  do,  provided  it  be  sheltered, 
and  have  an  open  exposure  or  aspect  facing  the  course 
of  the  sun. 

Assuming,  then,  that  a  proper  site  has  been  chosen 
for  the  erection  of  a  column  of  the  above-mentioned 
description,  the  following  directions  in  building  it  are 
to  be  observed  : — 

1st.  Lay  a  course  of  bricks  on  the  ground  in  the 
form  of  a  square,  the  sides  of  which  shall  measure  four 
feet.  This  is  to  form  the  base  of  the  column,  and  is 
intended  to  give  it  an  architectural  feature.  Now,  if 
tho  site  be  near  any  building  or  wall,  or  straight  path, 
then  the  sides  of  this  base  must  be  at  right  angles  with 
that  building,  or  wall,  &c.  ;  but,  if  none  of  these  exist, 
then  the  base  must  be  laid  with  its  corners  pointing  to 
the  four  cardinal  points  of  the  horizon.  The  joints  of 
the  brickwork  are  to  be  filled  in  with  cement  or 
strong  mortar,  so  as  to  prevent  the  roots  of  the  vine 
from  penetrating  through  into  the  soil  beneath. 


THE    ROOTS    OF   GRAPE    VINES.  191 

2d.  The  base  of  the  column  being  laid,  the  circle 
for  the  brickwork  of  it  must  then  be  accurately  marked 
out ;  after  which,  the  first  course  of  bricks  is  to  be  laid 
flatwise,  so  that  their  inner  ends  may  point  to  the  cen- 
tre of  the  circle,  and  their  outer  ones  form  the  periphe- 
ry of  it.  Half  bricks  will  be  sufficiently  strong,  pro- 
vided  that  at  four  equally  distant  parts  of  the  circle, 
in  every  course,  a  whole  brick  be  laid,  which  will 
strengthen  the  work  and  make  it  firm.  Half 
bricks,  while  the  cost  of  them  is  much  less,  will 
not  require  so  much  cutting  as  whole  ones,  and  they 
will,  also,  leave  a  greater  space  inside  of  the  column 
for  the  reception  of  the  materials.  The  first  circular 
course  being  laid,  the  interior  is  to  remain  as  it  is,  hol- 
low. 

3d.  Now  mark  the  exact  spot  in  this  course  where 
the  shoot  of  the  vine  is  to  go  through  the  brickwork, 
and  this  should  be  opposite  the  centre  of  one  of  the 
sides  of  the  base,  that  faces  either  the  south,  or  east, 
or  any  intermediate  point.  This  spot  being  marked, 
the  second  course  of  bricks  is  to  be  laid  as  before,  ob- 
serving that,  as  the  shoot  of  the  vine  is  to  go  through 
here,  a  semicircular  hole  is  to  be  made  in  the  upper 
surface  of  the  brickwork,  of  an  inch  and  a  half  in  di- 
ameter, to  form  a  passage  for  the  shoot.  The  second 
course  being  laid,  a  sufficient  quantity  of  materials  to 
fill  the  column,  of  the  description  already  mentioned, 
(see  page  177,)  having  been  previously  provided  and 
properly  prepared,  the  hollow  space  is  now  to  be  filled 
with  them  as  high  as  the  surface  of  the  brickwork. 
They  must  be  put  in  by  the  hand,  and  placed  closely 
and  compactly  together. 

4th.  Now  plant  the  vine,  observing  the  directions 
respecting  ihe  roots  given  at  p.  183,  which  are  to  be 
strictly  followed.  The  vine  should  be  a  strong  plant 
three  years  old.  It  is  to  be  laid  on  its  side,  with  its 


192        ON  PLANTING  AND  MANAGING 

roots  inside  of  the  column,  and  its  shoot  passing  through 
the  semicircular  hole  to  the  outside  of  it.  That  part 
of  the  shoot  that  lies  in  the  hole  is  to  have  all  its  buds 
cut  out,  leaving  as  much  of  the  shoot  outside  the 
column  as  contains  three  good  buds. 

5th.  The  vine  being  thus  planted,  the  third  course 
of  bricks  may  be  laid,  taking  care  that  a  brick  with  a 
semicircular  hole,  exactly  the  same  size  as  the  other, 
is  laid  over  the  brick  on  which  the  shoot  of  the  vine 
is  resting,  and  which  will  then  be  lying  in  a  circular 
hole,  an  inch  and  a  half  in  diameter.  The  third  course 
being  laid,  the  internal  vacancy  must  be  again  filled 
up  with  more  materials,  taking  particular  care  to  place 
them  close  round  the  inner  end  of  the  hole  containing 
the  shoot  of  the  vine,  so  as  to  prevent  the  entrance  of 
mice,  or  any  other  unwelcome  intruders.  The  hole 
on  the  outside,  also,  should  be  filled  with  moss,  which 
will  give  it  a  more  sightly  appearance  than  if  left 
open,  and  likewise  protect  the  roots  during  their 
first  growth. 

6th.  The  remaining  courses  of  brickwork  may  now 
be  laid  in  succession,  and  the  materials  filled  in  as  the 
work  proceeds.  When  the  column  is  built  up  within 
three  courses  of  its  intended  height,  and  the  materials 
filled  in  exactly  even  with  the  brickwork,  a  course  of 
whole  bricks  must  be  laid  over  the  entire  surf  ace,  taking 
care  that  those  which  rest  on  the  ^materials  are  not  to 
be  laid  on  mortar,  but  merely  jointed  with  it.  This 
course  being  finished,  the  last  two  are  to  be  formed  with 
whole  bricks  laid  flush  with  the  outside,  and  with  their 
inner  ends  slightly  sloping  towards  the  centre  of  the 
column,  which  will  cause  all  the  rain  that  falls  on  them 
to  run  towards  it,  and  fall  into  the  sunken  hollow  space 
that  will  be  there  formed  by  this  circular  ring  of  brick- 
work. The  circular  space,  which  will  be  about  18 
inches  in  diameter,  and  6  inches  deep,  is  intended  as  a 


THE    BOOTS    OF    GRAPE    VINES.  193 

receptacle  for  all  the  rain  that  falls  on  the  surface  of 
the  top  of  the  column,  which  will  filter  through  the 
single  thickness  of  the  bricks,  forming  the  bottom  of 
the  hollow  space,  and  thence  be  distributed  by  absorp- 
tion throughout  the  whole  mass  of  the  enclosed  ma- 
terials,  thereby  supplying  that  moderate  degree  of 
moisture  to  the  roots  of  the  vine,  which  contributes  so 
advantageously  to  its  nourishment  and  support. 

The  column  will  now  be  complete.  The  sunken 
space  at  the  top  of  it  may,  if  desired,  be  filled  with 
mould  ;  and  mignonnette,  or  any  other  annual  flower 
of  suitable  growth,  may  be  grown  in  it,  and  which, 
hanging  pendantly  over  the  edge  of  the  column,  will 
present  a  very  graceful  appearance. 

The  pruning  and  training  of  the  shoots  of  the  vine 
will  be  the  same  as  if  planted  against  a  straight  wall. 
The  circular  surface  of  a  column  of  these  dimensions 
will  contain  45  superficial  feet ;  a  few  years,  therefore, 
after  its  erection,  the  vine  will  annually  yield  50  Ibs. 
weight  of  grapes.  The  whole  cost  of  erecting  one, 
including  the  enclosed  materials,  will  be  about  25s. 

Columns  may  be  erected  of  a  larger  or  smaller  size 
than  that  here  described  ;  but  if  the  diameter  be  much 
less  than  3  feet,  the  shape  must  be  that  of  a  polygon 
of  many  sides,  if  built  with  bricks  of  the  usual  shape, 
on  account  of  their  ends  being  rectangular. 

A  column  may  be  erected  on  any  spare  or  conve- 
nient spot,  either  contiguous  to  a  dwelling,  or  in  a 
garden ;  and  by  putting  up  a  couple  at  opposite  or 
corresponding  points,  or  a  greater  number  sufficient 
to  form  a  harmonious  combination,  a  highly  ornamen- 
tal appearance  may  thereby  be  created.  The  simple 
contrivance  of  chambering  the  roots  inside,  and  the 
provision  o?  the  sunken  water-table  at  the  top  of  the 
column  outside,  prevent  the  necessity  of  the  slightest 
trouble  being  required  ijn  the  management  of  the  vine, 

a 


194  ON   THE    BOOTS    OF  GRAPE    VINES. 

beyond  that  of  the  ordinary  routine  of  pruning  and 
training,  while,  at  the  same  time,  the  vine  is  placed  in 
such  superior  conditions  with  reference  to  its  roots, 
that  fine  well  ripened  grapes  may  always  be  depended 
upon. 

On  the  whole,  therefore,  it  may  be  said  that  this 
entirely  new  method  of  growing  grapes  on  the  surface 
of  hollow  brick  erections,  which  has  now  been  brought 
under  notice,  and  fully  explained,  presents  so  many 
advantageous  features,  and  is  withal  of  such  easy  prac- 
tical application,  that  a  vast  number  of  persons,  who 
have  not  hitherto  possessed  the  means  of  cultivating 
even  a  single  vine,  may  now,  at  a  trifling  expense, 
enjoy  the  very  great  luxury  of  having,  at  every  re- 
turning season,  an  ample  supply  of  delicious  and  fine- 
flavoured  grapes. 


APPENDIX. 


APPENDIX. 


The  following  remarks  and  observations  on  the  culture  of 
the  Grape  in  the  United  States,  are  selected  from  various 
sources,  and  it  is  presumed  will  be  found  of  advantage  to 
persons  who  are  engaged  in  the  growing  of  that  delicious 
table-fruit — the  Grape. 

Dr.  R.  T.  UNDERBILL,  of  Croton  Point,  New-York,  who 
has  attained  to  great  perfection  in  the  cultivation  of  the 
Grape,  has  one  of  the  finest  vineyards  in  the  United  States, 
containing  twenty  acres  of  Isabella  and  Catawba  grapes, 
and  bearing  as  much  fruit  as  he  pleases  to  have  remain  on 
the  vines.  The  following  is  extracted  from  a  communica- 
tion made  by  Dr.  Underbill  to  the  OrchardisVs  Companion: 

In  1828-9,  I  planted  about  four  acres  of  the  choicest 
French  vines,  selected  from  vineyards  in  France,  among 
which  were  the  White  Chasselas  of  Fontainbleau,  Burgun- 
dy, Frontignac,  Imperial  Tokay,  &c.  After  three  years' 
cultivation,  they  produced  but  a  small  crop  of  fruit.  Al- 
though cultivated  in  the  best  manner  as  vineyard  grapes, 
they  soon  showed  symptoms  of  decay,  and  the  fruit  was  not 
so  sweet  or  as  fine-flavored  as  either  the  Isabella  or  Ca- 
tawba, Several  gentlemen  laid  out  vineyards  of  the  above 
kinds  in  the  vicinity  of  New-York,  about  the  same  time  I 
planted  mine,  which,  after  a  large  outlay  of  money  and 
loss  of  time,  proved  to  be  worthless. 

In  18?2,  I  cleared  my  vineyards  of  all  the  foreign  vines 
they  contained,  considering  them  an  incumbrance.  *  *  * 

Having  abandoned  the  foreign  vines,  I  turned  my  atten- 
tion to  those  which  are  indigenous  to  the  United  States.  I 


198  APPENDIX. 

commenced  replanting  my  vineyards  with  the  Isabella  in 
1832,  and  with  the  Catawba  in  1835,  and  have  been  in- 
creasing them  to  the  present  time.  I  have  now  (1842)  about 
twenty  acres  of  these  grapes,  principally  the  former,  under 
the  most  successful  cultivation,  and  shall  continue  to  in- 
crease the  number  of  vines  till  all  my  vacant  ground  is  oc- 
cupied. I  find  the  native  grapes  susceptible  of  vast  im- 
provement by  cultivation.  The  Isabella  and  Catawba, 
which  were  growing  in  I  he  wild  state  about  forty  years 
since,  have  improved  exceedingly,  and  are  capable  of  still 
farther  improvement  by  high  culture. 

The  quality  of  my  fruit  has  changed  very  much  within  a 
few  years ;  the  clusters  and  berries  are  much  larger  and 
sweeter,  the  skin  thinner,  and  the  pulp  has  nearly  disap- 
peared. 

The  improvement  in  these,  and  others  of  our  native 
grapes,  will  be  found  to  be  progressive,  and  in  a  few  years 
we  shall  have  no  cause  to  regret  the  impossibility  of  trans- 
ferring to  our  soil  the  delicate  vines  of  Europe,  rendered 
feeble  by  centuries  of  close  pruning.  The  native  vigor  of 
the  Isabella  and  Catawba  is  so  much  greater  than  that  of 
most  of  the  vines  cultivated  in  the  vineyards  of  Europe, 
that  we  shall  be  able  to  raise  a  greater  quantity  per  acre 
than  they  can  possibly  obtain. 

There  cannot  be  a  doubt  that  excellent  wine  can  be  made 
from  many  of  our  native  grapes.  Considerable  quantities 
are  now  made  in  the  Carolinas,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  and 
Indiana.  *  *  *  The  Isabella  is  said  to  make  a  light 
sweet  wine,  and  also  Cham paigne;  the  Catawba,  on  the 
contrary,  a  very  strong,  excellent  wine,  not  inferior  to  Ma- 
deira. This  is  the  opinion  of  a  number  of  gentlemen  who 
have  made  the  latter,  and  taken  much  pains  to  test  its  quali- 
ties. The  most  prominent,  object  I  have  had  in  view,  has 
been  the  introduction  of  a  healthy  and  delicious_article  for 
the  use  of  the  table. 

Among  the  difficulties  and  enemies  with  which  Dr.  Un- 
derbill has  had  to  contend,  and  which  experience  has  ena- 
bled him  to  overcome,  he  states  the  rosebug  has  not  been 
the  least.  However,  we  cannot  do  better  than  let  the  Doc- 
tor tell  his  own  story. 


APPENDIX.  199 

Several  years  since,  when  my  vineyards  were  smaller 
than  at  present,  I  found  the  rosebug  a  formidable  enemy. 
They  appeared  on  the  vines  when  they  were  in  blossom, 
or  just  as  the  blossoms  were  falling  off  and  the  young  grapes 
forming,  and  devoured  them  with  the  greatest  avidity. 
This  feast  continued  from  eight  to  twelve  days,  or  until  the 
cherries  on  the  trees  in  the  vicinity  began  to  ripen,  when 
they  with  one  accord  flew  to  them,  for  a  change  of  diet,  I 
presume,  or  from  some  other  cause.  1  was  quite  familiar 
with  the  habits  of  the  caterpillar,  and  had  been  in  the  prac- 
tice of  clearing  them  from  my  orchards  in  the  spring,  before 
they  had  destroyed  scarcely  a  leaf.  This  I  did  not  con- 
sider a  great  or  difficult  matter,  for  they  were  enveloped  in 
a  web  early  in  the  morning,  and  one  man  in  a  few  days 
was  able  to  clear  many  hundred  trees,  by  twisting  them  off, 
web  and  all,  with  a  basket,  and  carefully  placing  them  un- 
der his  foot.  The  rosebug,  however,  did  not,  like  the  cater- 
pillar, make  their  appearance  in  clusters  or  in  webs,  but  in 
small  numbers  at  first,  and  scattered  through  the  vineyards, 
increasing  rapidly  every  day.  Though  taken  from  the 
vines  on  the  trellis  every  morning,  they  continued  to  multi- 
ply till  the  eighth  or  twelfth  day,  when  they  suddenly  left 
for  the  cherry  trees,  as  before  stated.  I  was  at  a  loss  at  first 
to  know  where  they  came  from,  till  at  length  I  discovered 
the  ground  perforated  with  numerous  holes,  through  which 
they  made  their  way  to  the  surface. 

I  observed,  when  they  first  appeared  on  the  vines,  they 
were  so  feeble  as  to  be  unable  to  fly  even  for  a  few  yards. 
Having  surmounted  all  other  difficulties,  I  was  determined 
not  to  be  defeated  in  the  vineyard  cultivation  of  the  grape 
by  this  insect,  and  consequently  resorted  to  the  following 
means  for  their  destruction.  I  directed  my  men  to  take 
each  a  cup,  with  a  little  water  in  it,  and  go  through  the 
vineyards  every  morning,  removing  every  bug  from  the 
vines  ;  and  this  was  done  quite  rapidly  by  passing  the  cup 
under  the  leaf,  and  merely  touching  it,  when  the  bugs  in- 
stantly dropped,  and  were  received  in  the  cup  containing 
the  water.  When  the  cup  was  full,  they  were  soon  des- 
troyed Ly  pressing  the  foot  upon  them  on  a  hard  surface. 
After  all  of  them  had  been  taken  off,  on  the  following  morn- 
ing there  were  ten  on  the  vines  where  we  had  found  but 


200 


APPENDIX. 


one  ;  and  on  the  succeeding  morning,  after  having  been  re- 
moved as  before,  there  were  one  hundred  where  there  were 
but  ten,  and  so  on.  I  was  not  discouraged,  however,  and 
directed  my  men  to  persevere  in  the  work  of  destruction, 
and  we  should  thus  perhaps  prevent  the  formation  of  an- 
other progeny  for  the  next  season,  for  it  is  very  easily  shown 
that  they  do  not  migrate  to  any  great  distance  ;  and  by  thus 
destroying  the  present  race,  I  am  convinced  that  we  insure 
ourselves  from  their  further  depredations  to  any  injurious 
extent.  When  a  person  of  some  energy  has  cleared  them 
from  his  vineyard  or  garden,  he  is  pretty  certain  to  enjoy  the 
benefit  of  his  labor  another  season  as  well  as  the  present, 
though  he  may  have  a  few  from  his  less  resolute  neighbor. 
Pursuing  the  course  I  have  mentioned,  I  very  soon  lessened 
the  rosebug  so  much  that  they  gave  me  very  little  trouble. 

I  also  tried  ploughing  my  vineyards  just  before  winter  set 
in,  so  as  to  expose  to  the  weather  the  insect  in  the  larva 
state,  which  will  certainly  destroy  all  the  young  tribe  that 
have  not  descended  below  the  reach  of  the  plough.  For 
two  years  past,  the  number  has  been  so  small,  that  I  have 
omitted  this  process  for  their  destruction. 

However  expedient  it  may  be  to  kill  the  rosebugs,  even 
by  treading  on  them,  the  substitution  of  spirits  of  turpen- 
tine, instead  of  water,  is  undoubtedly  a  much  better  mode, 
and  is  obtaining  more  general  practice.  When  used,  the 
rosebugs  will  not  be  half  as  numerous  the  next,  as  the  pre- 
ceding season,  and  the  third  year  there  will  be  comparative- 
ly none,  and  scarce  a  berry  will  be  injured. 

In  speaking  of  the  failure  in  the  successful  cultivation  of 
the  grape,  Dr.  Underbill  uses  the  following  language : 

Another  cause  of  failure  has  been  a  want  of  practical  ex- 
perience in  the  best  mode  of  preparing  the  ground,  planting 
the  vines,  pruning,  &c.,  so  as  to  insure  a  vigorous  growth 
of  bearing  wood,  and  keep  this  from  extending  too  far  from 
the  roots  of  the  vines,  when  planted  with  the  desire  of  form- 
ing a  vineyard.  The  European  method  of  pruning  and 
cultivating  the  grape  is  not  altogether  correct.  The  natural 
vigor  of  our  native  vines  is  much  greater  than  the  foreign, 


APPENDIX.  201 

and  they  require  different  treatment.  The  more  variable 
nature  of  our  climate,  the  greater  heat  experienced  for  three 
or  four  months  in  the  year,  and  the  comparative  coolness  of 
the  nights  during  the  same  period,  have  a  great  infltfence 
upon  the  vines,  as  do  also  the  severe  droughts  with  which 
we  are  occasionally  visited  in  the  heat  of  summer.  *  *  * 
In  selecting  the  ground  for  a  vineyard,  give  that  kind  the 
preference  which  is  free  from  clay  within  fifteen  or  eighteen 
inches  of  the  surface,  and  is  perfectly  dry.  Ground  abound- 
ing in  springs,  after  thorough  draining,  is  sometimes  used, 
but  should  not  be  selected  if  a  preferable  kind  can  be  ob- 
tained. Sand,  slate,  limestone  formation,  will  answer  well. 
Side  hills  with  a  S.,  S.  E.,  or  E.  aspect  are  generally  pre- 
ferred, leaving  the  N.  (N.  E.  near  the  sea-coast)  and  W. 
winds  broken  off,  by  trees,  hedge,  stone  or  board  fence. 

In  the  latitude  south  of  the  Highlands  of  the  Hudson,  I 
find  that  the  Isabella  grapes  ripen  quite  as  well  when 
planted  in  a  level  field,  protected  from  the  North  and  West 
winds  by  woods  or  hedges,  as  on  declivities.  Several  of 
my  vineyards  are  thus  located,  and  as  far  as  I  can  perceive, 
the  fruit  ripens  at  about  the  same  time,  and  is  of  the  same 
quality  as  when  the  vines  are  planted  on  steep  side-hills. 
I  think,  however,  that  north  of  the  Highlands  side-hills 
would  be  preferable. 

To  prepare  the  ground  for  a  vineyard,  the  best  way  is  to 
turn  under  the  whole  of  the  surface  soil  from  fifteen  to 
eighteen  inches  in  depth,  early  in  the  spring,  after  the  frost 
is  out  of  the  ground,  by  ploughing  twice  in  the  same  fur- 
row. This  will  place  the  richest  part  of  the  soil  in  a  posi- 
tion where  it  will  give  the  greatest  supply  of  nourishment 
to  the  vines.  Few  vineyards  in  this  country  have  been 
planted  in  this  way  ;  but  the  cost  is  so  small,  and  the  ad- 
vantages so  great,  that  it  should  be  done,  wherever  there  are 
no  rocks  or  large  stones  to  prevent  it.  Instead  of  adopting 
this  method  of  preparing  the  ground,  many  persons  have 
been  content  with  digging  large  holes  where  they  intended 
to  plant  the  vines,  and  placing  in  the  bottom  of  these,  six  or 
eight  inche;  of  good  soil,  previous  to  putting  in  the  plants. 
A  still  greater  number  have  not  taken  the  trouble  to  resort 
to  either  plan,  but  have  planted  the  vines  with  the  same 
carelessness  that  they  would  a  common  animal,  instead  of 
Q5 


202  APPENDIX. 

giving  the  attention  and  care  each  plant  should  require — 
especially  when  it  is  expected  to  produce  a  fine  crop  of  fruit 
every  season  after  it  has  commenced  bearing,  for  a  hundred 
years. 

The  Isabella  with  me  (adds  Dr.  U.)  is  more  certain  to  give 
a  ripe  crop  every  year  than  any  oth.er  fruit  with  which  I  am 
acquainted.  It  ripens  its  fruit  two  or  three  weeks  earlier 
than  the  Catawba,  and  is  therefore  more  sure  to  produce  a 
perfectly  ripe  crop  in  a  short  season. 

J.  J.  THOMAS,  of  Macedon,  N.  Y.,  writes  as  follows  on 
the  culture  of  the  grape : 

The  chief  requisites  are  a  deep/loose,  fertile  soil,  frequent 
cultivation,  and  proper  pruning.  Among  the  best  varieties 
are  the  Isabella,  which,  for  hardiness,  great  productiveness, 
and  sweetness  of  flavor,  taken  together,  perhaps  stands  un- 
rivalled ;  the  York  Madeira,  earlier,  hardier,  and  possess- 
ing less  of  the  musky  taste  than  the  Isabella,  to  which  it  is 
preferred  by  some ;  and  the  Catawba,  a  large,  beautiful, 
productive  grape,  but  not  equal  to  the  other  two  in  flavor. 
The  Bland  is  a  fine  grape,  but  our  seasons  are  too  short  for 
its  thorough  ripening.  These  are  all  hardy  American. 
Among  exotic  grapes,  the  White  Sweetwater  is  most  ad- 
mired, and  is  of  most  delicious  flavor.  The  vines,  how- 
ever, require  renewing  every  four  or  five  years,  to  prevent 
mildew;  and  require  laying  down  every  autumn  to  avoid 
destruction  from  frost;  but  this  renewing  is  no  more  than 
the  yearly  planting  of  corn  and  potatoes,  nor  the  laying 
down  than  the  autumnal  harvesting  of  these  crops.  The 
Malvoise  is  a  smaller  grape,  but  even  more  exquisite  in  iis 
flavor.  The  Burgundy  (Black  Cluster,  or  Black  Orleans,) 
Is  a  very  good  exotic  grape,  and  has  the  singular  advantage 
over  most  other  exotics,  of  being  quite  hardy  ;  at  least,  it  is 
so  in  Western  New-York. 

Mr.  WM.  R.  PRINCE,  of  Flushing,  L.  I.,  whose  [practical 
experience  is  well  known,  makes  the  following  remarks  : 

The  Grape  requires  a  deep  friable  soil,  and  an  exposure 
according  to  the  class  to  which  it  belongs.  No  fruit  will  ad- 
mit of  such  plentiful  manurings  as  this,  provided  it  be  pro- 
perly applied.  Decomposed  vegetable  or  animal  manures, 


APPENDIX.  203 

and,  above,  the  blood  of  cattle  from  the  butcher's  stall,  plen- 
tifully and  frequently  mingled  with  the  earth  at  a  short  dis- 
tance from  the  main  stalk  of  the  vine,  will  cause  a  degree 
of  vigor  and  productiveness  altogether  astonishing.  In  re- 
gard to  pruning,  the  American  varieties  simply  require  such 
thinning  out  during  winter,  as  is  necessary  to  prevent  the 
branches  injuring  each  other  by  contact,  and  the  removal  of 
such  weak  spurs  as  are  immature  and  imperfect;  but  no 
fear  should  be  indulged  that  the  vine,  if  in  a  good  soil,  is 
not  capable  of  maturing  its  fruit  on  any  extent  of  branches 
it  may  naturally  produce,  as  among  the  most  productive 
vines  found  in  Carolina,  there  are  many  instances  where  a 
single  vine  covers  an  acre.  Summer  pruning  is  only  called 
for  in  locations  where  the  vines  are  confined  in  too  narrow 
limits,  and  then  is  but  partially  required. 

Among  the  vineyards  that  are  scattered  up  and  down  the 
Ohio,  in  the  vicinity  of  Cincinnati,  the  following  particulars 
of  that  of  Mr.  MOTTIER'S  will  be  found  interesting: 

The  vineyard  contains  about  six  acres  ;  the  vines  planted 
in  rows  six  feet  apart,  and  three  feet  apart  in  the  rows. 
They  are  trained  to  locust  posts  seven  and  a  half  feet  high, 
firmly  fixed  in  the  ground,  and  intertwined  from  hill  to  hill. 
None  but  American  varieties  are  cultivated,  which  are  of 
course  hardy,  and  need  no  protection  in  winter.  A  plough 
or  cultivator  is  occasionally  run  between  the  rows,  to  keep 
the  soil  in  good  order,  and  the  weeds  down.  He  prefers  a 
northern  to  a  southern  exposure,  as  the  grape  in  that  vi- 
cinity oftener  suffers  from  early  or  spring,  than  from  late 
frosts.  Since  1820,  he  has  lost  but  one  crop  from  frost; 
while  on  the  Rhine,  if  three  crops  out  of  five  are  saved,  the 
vinedresser  is  fortunate.  Fifteen  hundred  gallons  of  wine 
were  made  in  one  year ;  and  the  succeeding  year,  more 
vines  coming  into  bearing,  the  product  was  estimated  at  four 
thousand  gallons.  The  Catawba  grape  makes  a  white 
wine,  resembling  the  Rhenish  Hock,  and  in  good  repute. 
The  Cape  grape  makes  a  red  wine,  more  like  Burgundy. 
The  wine  sells  readily  at  $1  per  gallon. 

One  of  the  most  successful  efforts  at  the  culture  of  the 
grape  and  the  production  of  wine  that  has  been  made  in 


204  APPENDIX. 

this  country,  is  that  of  Mr.  JOHN  DAVIS,  in  Indiana,  near 
Clinton,  about  ten  miles  from  Louisville,  Ky. 

Mr.  Davis  has  about  seven  acres  in  vineyard.  The  vines 
are  planted  in  rows  six  feet  apart,  and  three  feet  apart  in  the 
rows.  The  quantity  of  wine  made  from  one  and  a  half 
acres  is  eleven  hundred  and  seventy  gallons.  No  European 
vineyard  has  surpassed  this ;  and  the  ordinary  product  is 
not  more  than  half  this  quantity.  Mr.  Davis's  mode  of 
training  his  vines  is  very  simple.  Posts  eight  feet  apart  are 
set  along  the  rows,  with  pegs  in  them  fourteen  inches  apart. 
On  these,  rods  of  wood  or  lath  are  laid  and  secured,  and  to 
these  the  vines  are  lashed  with  bark.  The  ground  should 
be  prepared  by  the  spade,  or  trench  ploughing,  so  as  to  place 
the  rich  surface  earth  beneath  the  point  of  washing.  Of  all 
the  varieties  he  has  tried,  Mr.  Davis  prefers  the  Catawba, 
and  from  this  the  wine  was  made.  He  uses  cuttings  of 
well  ripened  wood,  from  sixteen  to  eighteen  inches  long,  of 
the  last  year's  growth,  cut  before  the  sap  begins  to  flow,  and 
cut  square,  immediately  above  and  below  a  joint,  as  is  gen- 
erally practised  in  all  countries  with  grape  cuttings.  The 
holes  are  dug  eighteen  inches  deep,  and  about  the  same 
across,  into  which,  about  the  middle  of  April,  two  cuttings, 
one  on  each  side,  are  placed,  and  the  holes  rilled  with  rich 
earth.  One  or  two  buds  should  be  left  above  ground,  and 
the  earth  well  trod  about  the  cuttings.  The  cuttings,  when 
taken  from  the  vines,  should  be  placed  or  buried  in  a  cool 
cellar ;  and  when  taken  out  for  planting,  it  is  found  to  as- 
sist their  sprouting,  to  soak  them  twenty-four  hours  in  rain 
water. 

Mr.  S.  WELLER,  of  Brinkleyville,  Halifax  Co.,  N.  C., 
states  that  he  is  indebted  for  his  success  in  the  culture  of  the 
grape,  to  his  having  abandoned  the  foreign  or  European 
method,  and  adhering  to  his  "  American  System."  He  has 
obtained  as  high  as  $2  a  gallon  for  his  wine,  of  which  he 
makes  annually  some  twelve  to  twenty  barrels,  besides  the 
sale  of  large  quantities  of  grapes  and  wine-juice  from  the 
press. 


APPENDIX.  205 


GRAFTING. 

A  simple  mode  of  grafting  is  thus  described  in  Ho- 
vey's  Magazine  :  Cut  off  the  vine  below  the  surface  of  (he 
earth,  split  the  stock  as  in  cleft-grafting  ;  let  the  scion  be  of 
one  year's  wood  with  two  or  three  buds,  make  it  wedge- 
shaped,  and  insert  it  in  the  cleft ;  if  the  cleft  does  not  hold 
it  sufficiently  firm,  secure  it  by  binding  it  tight ;  draw  the 
earth  over  the  whole,  leaving  the  second  bud  from  the  top 
uncovered  ;  take  off  all  sprouts  from  stock  and  scion,  ex- 
cept one,  and  train  that  as  usual.  Those  who  have  unpro- 
ductive or  wild  vines,  would  do  well  to  try  this  method. 
The  time  is,  after  the  vines  cease  to  bleed. 

Mr.  DOWNING  recommends  that  scions  be  cut  in  winter, 
and  kept  buried  in  a  cool  damp  cellar  till  wanted.  About 
10th  June,  or  as  soon  as  the  leaves  of  the  old  vines  are  fully 
expanded,  cut  off  the  stock  smoothly  below  the  surface  of 
the  ground,  split  it  and  insert  one  or  two  scions  in  the  usual 
manner,  binding  the  cleft  well  together,  and  drawing  the 
soil  carefully  over  the  whole,  leaving  two  or  three  buds  of 
the  scion  above  the  surface. 


To  PRESERVE  GRAPES. 

Take  a  well  bound  cask,  from  which  the  head  is  to  be  re- 
moved, and  place  at  the  bottom  a  good  layer  of  fine  saw- 
dust or  bran.  On  this  place  a  layer  of  grapes,  then  each 
clternately  until  the  cask  is  full,  taking  care  that  there  is 
sufficient  bran  between  each  layer  of  grapes  to  prevent  them 
touching  each  other.  Put  on  the  head,  which  is  to  be  ce- 
mented, and  the  grapes  will  keep  well  for  a  year.  When 
used,  in  order  to  restore  their  freshness,  cut  the  stalk  of  each 
bunch,  and  place  it  in  wine,  as  flowers  are  placed  in  water. 


INDEX. 


Alburnum,  formation  of  the,  80. 

Aspects,  the  best,  described,  43. 

Bearing-shoots,  description  of,  142. 

Berries,  advantages  of  thinning  the,  120. 

Blood,  a  good  liquid  manure,  61. 

Bone-dust,  an  excellent  manure,  59. 

Bones,  their  beneficial  effects  when  deposited  in  vine  borders,  56 
— a  valuable  component  of  an  artificial  vine  border,  177 — the 
qualities  of,  described,  186. 

Borders,  best  materials  for  making,  47 — proper  method  of  making, 
47 — injurious  effects  of  digging  or  cropping  the,  50 — proper 
method  of  watering,  with  liquid  manure,  123— coldness  of  rich 
and  highly  manured,  173. 

Bricks,  absorbing  powers  of,  178 — moveable  floor,  181. 

Buds,  formation  of,  95 — when  to  be  rubbed  off,  112. 

Bunches,  how  to  produce  large,  97— method  of  thinning  the,  118. 

Carcases  of  animals,  make  excellent  manure,  59. 

Catalogue  of  the  best  sorts  of  grapes  for  open  walls,  157. 

Charcoal,  valuable  in  vine-borders,  177 — its  qualities,  185. 

Column,  mode  of  building  a  hollow  brick  described,  190. 

Compost,  the  best  sort  for  vine-borders,  48. 

Copings,  projecting,  67 — proper  width,  68 — moveable  wooden,  69. 

Cuttings,  raising  vines  by,  73— method  of  preparing  and  plant- 
ing, 74. 

Dung- heaps,  drainings  of.  a  good  liquid  manure,  61. 

Excrements  of  birds  and  animals  a  good  top-dressing  for  vine- 
borders,  62. 

Feathers,  a  good  manure,  56. 

Fish,  a  good  top-dressing  for  vine-borders,  62. 

Foliage  of  vines,  capable  of  producing  good  wine,  17. 

Fruiting-shoots,  in  what  position  to  nail  the,  113. 

Grapesrtne  quantity  grown  on  a  given  surface  of  walling,  16 — 
causes  of  not  ripening,  45 — when  in  blossom,  116 — catalogue 
of,  157 — soils  in  which  brought  to  the  highest  perfection,  166 — 
created  by  solar  light  and  heat,  170. 


208 


INDEX, 


Greenhouses,  vines  cultivated  in,  186. 

Hair,  horns,  and  hoofs  of  cattle,  as  manure,  59. 

Lateral  shoots,  how  to  manage,  114. 

Layers,  method  of  raising  vines  by,  71. 

Leather,  a  good  manure,  59. 

Leaves,  their  great  value  in  protecting  the  fruit,  119— injurious 

consequences  of  plucking  off  the,  125. 
Lime-washing  the  surface  of  vine-walls,  66. 
Management  of  a  young  vine  during  the  first  five  years,  100 — of 

a  vine  during  the  winter,  145. 

Manure,  best  sorts  for  vine  borders,  55 — proper  mode  of  deposit- 
ing in  vine  borders,  60 — liquid,  the  best  sorts  of,  61 — caution 

against  the  excessive  use  of,  62. 
Night-soil,  a  good  top-dressing  for  vine  borders,  52. 
Pruning,  the  chief  object  of,  77 — different  methods  of,  82  to  87 — 

general  rules  for,  87 — general  autumnal,  137. 
Ripening  process,  described,  128. 
Rocky  soils,  the  vine  delights  in,  166. 
Salt,  its  good  effects  when  cast  on  a  vine  border,  146. 
Sap,  motion  of  the,  79— first  movement  of  the,  175. 
Scale  of  the  proportionate  quantity  of  grapes  which  any  vine  of  a 

given  girt  of  stem  can  mature,  35 — practical  application,  38. 
Shanking,  the  cause  in  grapes,  176. 
Shelter,  necessary  to  the  prosperous  growth  of  vines,  39. 
Shoot,  how  to  nail,  1 13 — method  of  bending  when  young,  154. 
Shreds,  the  best  sort  for  nailing  vine  shoots  and  branches,  98. 
Shrivelling,  the  cause  of,  176. 
Soap-suds,  an  excellent  liquid  manure,  61,  183. 
Soil,  best  sort,  45 — low  temperature  in  winter,  168 — artificial,  177. 
Solar  heat  necessary  to  produce  grapes,  170. 
Soot,  a  valuable  manure,  61. 

Sprinkling  the  floor  of  a  vinery,  advantages  of,  182. 
Stable  manure,  beneficial  to  vine  borders,  62. 
Stem  of  a  vine,  described,  149. 

Stony  soil,  suitable  for  the  roots  of  vines  to  grow  in,  166,  167. 
Stoning  process  of  grapes  described.  126. 
Subsoil,  the  best  sort  for  the  roots  of  vines,  46. 
Syria,  temperature  of,  168. 
Tendrils,  when  to  be  pinched  off,  45. 
Thinning  the  bunches,  mode  of,  118 — the  berries,  120. 
Training  the  branches,  object  of,  89 — the  serpentine  method,  90 — 

in  winter,  90 — in  summer,  95. 
Transplanting  of  vines,  method  of,  100. 
Urine,  a  valuable  liquid  manure,  61,  177. 
Vine,  native  country  of  the,  15— its  introduction  into  Britain,  15 

— the  leaves,  tendrils,  and  young  shoots  capable  of  producing 


INDEX. 


209 


good  wine,  17 — adaptation  for  culture  in  towns,  20 — the  usual 
method  of  cultivating  on  open  walls,  24 — rule  observed  in  pru- 
ning, in  foreign  countries,  28 — the  effects  of  warm  summers  in 
ripening  the  bearing  shoots,  28 — experiments  made  to  ascertain 
the  extent  of  the  fruit-bearing  powers,  30 — injurious  effects  of 
bearing  fruit  prematurely  when  young,  36 — vegetative  powers, 
169 — indigenous  country  of,  170 — manure  not  necessary  when 
forced,  171 — rapidity  of  growth  unfavorable  to  the  formation  of 
fruit-buds,  172 — winter  planting,  183 — summer  planting,  184 — 
new  mode  of  cultivating,  189 — where  to  plant,  under  glass,  184 
— capital  error  often  committed  in  planting,  184 — in  pots,  how 
to  be  planted,  184 — favorable  conditions  when  planted  in  dry 
materials,  185 — when  forced  should  be  planted  inside  the  vine- 
ry, 178 — forced,  temperature  of  the  branches  in  winter,  168. 

Vinery,  excavation  for  a  new,  179. 

Vintage,  general  rule  respecting  the.  132. 

Walls,  most  eligible  height  for  training  vines  upon,  63 — best  sort 
of  materials  for  building,  54,  65— on  blackening  the  surface  of, 
66 — hollow,  necessity  of  in  all  erections  for  forcing  vines,  179 — 
cross,  necessity  of  in  the  bed  of  a  vinery,  180 — pigeonhole,  18(X 

Watering,  with  liquid  manure,  123 — the  foliage  and  fruit,  124. 

Wind,  injurious  effects  on  the  growth  of  vines,  39. 

Wine,  produced  from  the  leaves,  tendrils,  and  young  shoots,  17. 

Wood,  injurious  effects  of  old  and  naked,  81. 

Woollen  rags,  a  good  manure,  59. 


APPENDIX,  197-205. 


14  DAY  USE 

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